His Light
by EmberFalcon
Summary: He could feel his heart plummeting into the darkness of Kaguya's mirror. Kagome could save him the first time...but can it happen again? NOT what you think...I just suck at summaries.
1. Chapter 1

I'm back! I got great reviews for my last story, so I hope you will like this even more. This doesn't tie into "Mortal Feelings," just to warn you. Sorry if the title sounds a little corny, but I liked it and it seemed fitting. You'll find out what I'm talking about later on. Here you go with chapter one of "His Light." Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any related characters; they all respectively belong to Rumiko Takahashi.

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There was absolute stillness in the night, the moon showing brightly in contrast to the darkness of the sky. Stars shone brilliantly and twinkled above in the heavens. Flowers blew their sweet scent in the gentle breeze, grass moist with fresh dew. Nothing dared to shatter the silence, not even the late night owl, who swept across the skies in absolute silence. The whole world seemed to be at absolute peace…

"DAMN YOU TO HELL, DEMON!"

…well…almost.

There was a sudden rustle in the wind as a shadowed figure rose over the trees. The figure became a silhouette against the full moon and revealed itself to be some sort of giant eagle, its red eyes sweeping over its enemies. The one that had damned it to hell, Inuyasha, tore into a running leap at the demon, drawing the Tetsusaiga out of its sheath and raising it over his head.

"Get a load of this!" He swung the mighty blade in a downward motion with all his strength.

"WIND SCAR!" Five white-hot blades of pure demonic wind flew from the Steel Cleaving Fang's tip, sailing towards the eagle demon. The eagle let out a shrill cry and summoned a whirlwind of its own demonic aura to create a shield against the attack, canceling out the demonic wind scar. The demon's eyes grew wide as he cried out once again, its wings glowing a brilliant gold around the tips of each individual feather. There was a burst of flames behind Inuyasha as he heard Kirara cry out and fly up to where he was, her owner Sango and her friend Miroku upon her back. Sango slid her bone boomerang off of her shoulders, throwing it in an arching motion.

"Hiraikotsu!" The boomerang flew from her fingertips and closed the distance between it and the demon, only to have the eagle swoop its wings and send a bright gold wave from its wings straight for its opponents. The Hiraikotsu was flung back at Sango, who fell off Kirara. The two tail cat demon swooped down to catch her, safely tucking her owner into her fur as Miroku kept her on Kirara's back. The wave of demonic aura hit Inuyasha dead on, sending him crashing into the ground. Kagome ran and knelt at his side.

"Are you alright?" Inuyasha snorted, cringing as he stood.

"I'm…fine…Kagome." A crimson stain formed around Inuyasha's chest, sliding down all the way to his left thigh in a diagonal motion. He shut one eye in an attempt to block out the pain quickly spreading all throughout his body. Kagome was worry-stricken, but nodded. Se raised her right hand to the sling of arrows behind her back, pulling one out and drawing it across her bow. Raising the bow to aim at the eagle, she released the arrow in a blue wave of her priestess powers. The arrow pierced through the eagle's right wing, blood pouring from the wound as the demon cried out in agony, its wings failing it. The demon plummeted to the ground, landing in a heap. Shippo came out of his hiding spot in the hollow of a log and went over by Kagome. The monk Miroku went over to the body, poking the back of its head with the sharp end of his staff. He suddenly hit his knees, clutching his right wrist and crying out in pain. Despite the rosary doubled around his wrist to seal the Kazaana wind tunnel, there was a dark aura emitting from the hole in his palm. The aura drifted like smoke to the dead youkai eagle. The eagle began to rise again, everyone tensed, preparing for another battle. The eagle's body glowed a sickly neon green color as any features that looked even remotely close to an eagle's seemed to be lost in the green light. There was a shrill cry that escaped its throat as its shape began to change into what looked like something almost human that stood before them. When the light subsided, everyone took a second to let their eyes adjust to the dark once again, but all gaped at someone that they had hoped they would never see again…someone they thought for sure they had defeated a long time ago. Inuyasha was the only one that had seemed to find enough air in his lungs to speak to the "celestial maiden" before them, growling only one word…

"Kaguya…"

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Well, bet you didn't see that one coming, did ya? I know that she was destroyed and Miroku sucked her into his wind tunnel when she was that big black cloud, but all will be explained in the next chapter. Stick around!


	2. The Exchange

Well hello again! This chapter will, for the most part, be an explanation as to how Kaguya came back. There will be some major Inuyasha/Kagome fluff, but nothing will actually "happen" between the two. You'll just have to see for yourself.

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"Ah, Inuyasha you remember me. How very flattering on my part." She raised her hands to hover over each other at least six inches apart as a mirror faded into existence, her long purple robes flowing in the breeze (side note: She's dressed like she was before Kagome was kidnapped and everything). The mirror seemed to focus mainly on Inuyasha and Kagome, the only two people that she really considered a threat.

"But…how? We destroyed you ages ago!" Kagome said as she drew an arrow across her bow. Kaguya only smiled.

"If you remember, my dear girl, your arrows pose no threat against my mirror." Kagome's back shot with pain at the memory of jumping in front of the path of her own arrow to save a pinned Inuyasha. Kaguya seemed to be able to hear her thoughts through the mirror, for its surface glowed slightly, then showed an image of Inuyasha pinned to the tree (not Goshinboku) by several roots, then Kagome clinging to his haori as her arrow pierced her back, the Celestial Robe stabbed with the arrow as well. Kagome gulped, walking a little closer to Inuyasha, who was growling at Kaguya.

"And as for your questions, I was dead, my body disintegrated and my aura and soul left dormant in that monk's Kazaana wind tunnel. I had tried and tried again for my soul to be free, but it was that rosary around his wrist that kept me at bay. It wasn't long before I saw my opportunity and forced a fracture of my soul out to control another, who happened to be this eagle.

"I had vowed to regain my entire aura and soul, to become what I once was and perhaps even more. I had traced my path back to you by following my own aura that was inside your Wind Tunnel, monk." Miroku readied his staff, his left hand gripping his rosary especially tightly, lest he should use the Kazaana.

"And now that I am whole once again, I will be taking my revenge." Inuyasha drew out the Tetsusaiga and charged at her.

"Nice try, but we beat you once and we'll do it again!" He was smart enough NOT to do something stupid like use the wind scar, or anything, lest she reflect it. Instead, he tried stabbing her mirror with the Fang's tip. Kaguya's face flashed a dark expression.

"Keep your filthy, vile hands away, you half-breed mutt!" Just as the Tetsusaiga's tip was about to run through the mirror, it glowed, Inuyasha's attack ricocheting off the surface of the glass.

"What!" Kaguya's dark expression only grew even more sinister.

"Stay out of my way, dog." She thrust out her mirror slightly, throwing Inuyasha back. Before the ground ever got a chance to catch him, he was encased in a light blue aura that held him in mid air, just hovering above the ground. _'I…can't…move…'_ He could faintly hear Kagome cry out his name, for it seemed that the only thing he could hear perfectly was his heart pounding in his ears. Kagome stood beside him, trying desperately to use her priestess powers to purify the aura and free him. He tried opening his mouth, but he couldn't even do that. _'My throat…it's…paralyzed…'_ Kagome seemed to be getting somewhere with the purification, because he managed to choke out,

"Ka…go…me…just…run."

"Hiraikotsu!" The bone boomerang flew out of Sango's hand, arched and flew to Kaguya, who reflected the attack back at her. Kagome met eyes with Inuyasha's and shook her head.

"Forget it! Remember when Menomaru had me trapped in his spell and you said you weren't running without me? Well, I ain't running without you!" He remembered it well, and the outcome of that was he was shot in the chest with Kagome's arrow. Not a very pleasant experience. He tried fighting the spell, to free himself, but the aura held fast. Kaguya laughed at their attempts to free Inuyasha as she began chanting inaudibly. Inuyasha remembered this as the same chant she was using when she tried getting the Celestial Robe the first time. His memory served him well, for a bright ring of gold embers swirled around Kaguya slowly.

"Ka…gome…get…behind me." She refused, gripping his neck with all her might. Miroku tried distracting Kaguya by making himself a target, but she knocked him out like she did with Sango, only she reflected his staff instead. The ring around her only grew brighter as the mirror pointed at Inuyasha and Kagome. A gold pentagon formed inside the circle of flames as there was a blinding light coming towards the two. Inuyasha pleaded her one last time to get behind him, but her grip on his neck only grew tighter. Inuyasha tried desperately to break free so Kagome wouldn't get hurt, but it was too late. The light hit Kagome's back dead on as the pain coursed through her body. Her eyes began to dim, now half lid as she felt her energy quickly leaving her, the white-hot attack running through her frail body.

"Inuyasha…" She softly whispered in his ear before her grip around his neck loosened. Her eyes closed as the rest of the world faded away from her.

Inuyasha's will to protect Kagome overpowered the spell, causing it to break, so he embraced her, spinning to take the force of the attack, but it had ended. He lifted her head, desperately searching her face for any signs that she was alright.

"Kagome…say something…Kagome…KAGOME!" He held her close to his body, pleading her over and over again to wake up, his eyes shut tightly. He turned to Kaguya with Kagome in his arms bridal style, a deadly look on his face.

"What's wrong with Kagome? WHAT DID YOU DO TO HER!" Kaguya didn't respond, but there was something that seemed to fade into appearance inside her mirror…

Kagome. _His Kagome._

Inuyasha's grip on Kagome only seemed to tighten. Growls emerged from deep inside his throat as he bared his fangs at Kaguya.

"Release her soul, you wench!" Kaguya seemed to expect something along the lines of it, for she responded,

"That girl…she carries an unfamiliar essence of time…one of which I have never sensed in one's aura, along with her priestess powers that are held deep within her soul…if I were to devour it, nothing would stand in my way. Eternal night would encase the world, and I would reign supreme." As she spoke, tiny pink glitters swirled out of her mirror and took the transparent form of Kagome, bound in chains linked to the mirror.

"As if I'd let you keep her soul!" Inuyasha shouted, bringing Kagome's body closer to his, his heart crushed at the fact her body held no warmth to it at all anymore. She was truly an empty shell. His eyes burned but he refused to shed tears in the face of an enemy.

"I will gladly give the girl her soul back…if you give up your freedom to me." Inuyasha looked down at Kagome, cradled in his arms, not willing to ever let her become an empty shell. He looked at the possible outcomes: if he said no, Kagome would die. If he said yes, he would be taken and most likely cast into darkness. He couldn't let Kagome die, not when she had so much to live for. He needed her, needed to hold her, be with her. Even if he wasn't physically there, he would find a way back to her, some way or another.

"I'll oblige, but only on one condition." Kaguya listened intently.

"Very well, half-demon. You hold my interest." Inuyasha pulled Kagome's body even closer, if that was at all possible.

"I get to see her…one last time before you take me." Kaguya pondered for a moment, but nodded in agreement.

"We have a deal. I will summon you to my castle in ten minutes." Saying that, the chains on Kagome's soul shattered, her soul becoming tiny pink sparkles as they melted into her body. Kaguya faded to lay in wait at her castle as Kagome began to open her eyes. Inuyasha stood her gently, a small, sad smile on his face.

"Are you alright, Kagome?" He never took his hands away from her hips, supporting her until she could stand on her own. She nodded, but she then saw the sadness and pain in his eyes, she frowned in concern.

"Inuyasha, what's wrong?" He sighed as he pulled her into his arms.

"Kagome…I don't have much time. Please don't reject me…I really need this." She brought her arms up to his chest, gripping his haori without touching the gash still there from the fight.

"Please tell me what's wrong." Inuyasha took a deep breath, loosening his grip on her so that their eyes could meet.

"Kaguya had stolen your soul, so in exchange…I offered her mine." Tears formed in Kagome's eyes, threatening to fall. Inuyasha raised a clawed hand and wiped them away with his index finger's knuckle. He pulled her deeper into his arms, practically crushing her to his chest as he felt her tears bleed through both his haori and his undershirt. He brought one hand behind her head and gently began stroking her soft midnight hair.

"Shh…I know…I know. Believe me…I know." He rested his head on top of hers, closing his eyes. He took in everything about her; her scent, her tears, her warmth, not ever wanting it to go away.

"Why did you do this for me? Is it…because you need me to find the jewel shards?" She sobbed again, only to be calmed when Inuyasha soothed her.

"No Kagome…you mean so much more than that to me…I…" He stopped as a golden pentagon within a circle etched itself in the earth around them. The wind picked up as gold lashes of twisting purified celestial aura began to swirl around them. Inuyasha quickly took off his red haori and wrapped it around Kagome's shoulders.

"Even if I'm not here, that cloth will protect you, so will this…" He grabbed Tetsusaiga, still in its sheath and handed it to her. The swirling aura was closing in on them now.

"Kagome, I-" There was another blinding light as the swirling lights wrapped around Inuyasha, light encasing him slowly. Kagome tried moving, but the light bit at her ankles, keeping her rooted to the spot. She reached out a hand to his extended arm, desperately trying to bring him back.

"INUYASHA!" She could see him mouth her name, but there was a thunderous roar as the light encased him fully and in an instant, it was over.

"Inuyasha…" She whispered as she gripped the haori he had wrapped around her, her other hand gripping the Tetsusaiga. Sango, Miroku and Shippo came to just as Kagome hit her knees.

"INUYAHSA WHERE'D YOU GO!" Kagome cried out as tears flowed down her cheeks. Sango tried soothing her by putting her arm around Kagome's shoulders in a sisterly way, but nothing could console the sobbing miko. Miroku said she should rest while he, Sango, Shippo and Kirara try to come up with a plan. Kagome numbly walked over to a tree and sat at its base. Hugging her knees, she cried herself to sleep, the only comforts she could cling to were her own tears, the Tetsusaiga at her side, and Inuyasha's lingering scent on his haori as a painful reminder.

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Inuyasha fans do NOT attack me, or I will NEVER tell what happens next! Hopefully you guys are liking this so far, and it only gets more angstful and romantic…promise!


	3. Light in the Darkness

Hello! Okay, the first part will sound familiar, and it is. They're the last moments Inuyasha and Kagome spent together before Kaguya took him away, but in Inuyasha's POV…actually…the whole chapter will be Inuyasha's POV. Enjoy the sad fluffiness.

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(Inuyasha's POV)

The deal was done; Kaguya began to disappear as Kagome's eyes fluttered. I looked down at the beautiful girl in my arms, gently helping her stand as she awoke. She seemed a little clumsy at first, so I placed my hands on her hips to steady her. I slightly bowed my head to examine her.

"Are you alright, Kagome?" I surprised myself at how incredibly difficult I was finding it to speak. I watched her nod her head, but her gaze was focused on my eyes. I felt as though she was delving into the depths of my very soul, destroying the walls of protection I so carefully built to hide my emotions and exposing my true self. She must have sensed the depression emitting from my aura, for she asked me,

"Inuyasha, what's wrong?" I sighed, knowing I was going to have to tell her, even though I didn't really want to hurt her or worry her. I pulled her into my arms, holding her as I had always dreamed of holding her and her alone. Had it not been for my very short freedom, I would have never let her go…ever.

"Kagome…I don't have much time. Please don't reject me…I really need this." I felt her fists carefully maneuver around my wound to grip my haori, sending shivers running down my spine. She wasn't rejecting me? Why would she want a lowly hanyou like me hugging her so closely? Could it be that…that she…feels the way that…that I do?

"Please tell me what's wrong." I took a deep breath and held it there for a second as I let my arms loosen around her just enough so that I was still holding her, but we could look each other in the eye.

"Kaguya had stolen your soul…so in exchange…I offered her mine." My heart crushed as I saw her eyes well up in tears. I lifted my index finger and wiped her tear away, mindful that I didn't cut her with my claw. I embraced her tightly once more, her tears bleeding through both my undershirt and haori. I rested my nose into her hair, deeply inhaling her wonderfully soothing scent of vanilla and fresh rose pedals. Her hair was glistening in the moonlight, and that was too much to resist. I raised my hand and began stroking her hair as I dipped my nose deeper into it, never wanting this to end but knowing that it be over would all too quickly.

"Shh…I know…I know. Believe me…I know." I closed my eyes as I stopped breathing in her scent so deeply and just rested my cheek on her head. I knew this was going to end, but I would have given anything just to stay this way…the way Kagome and I are right now.

"Why did you do this for me? Is it because…you need me to find the jewel shards?" My heart was crushed even more at that remark. Now was the only time that I may ever get to tell her…

"No, Kagome…you mean so much more than that to me…I-" The moment was broken as a bright pentagon appeared around us. The circle of light began to close around us. My time with Kagome was up. I looked deeply into her eyes as I hurriedly took off my red haori and wrapped it around her.

"Even if I'm not here, that cloth will protect you. So will this…" I pulled the Tetsusaiga, sheath and all out of my hakama belt and handed it to her. The light was wrapping around me now, pushing my Kagome farther and farther away from me.

"Kagome, I-" There was another horrible sound as I heard her call out my name. I desperately reached out for her, only to have the light pull her out of my reach. She reached for my outstretched hand, but we were too far apart now.

"KAGOME!" Whether or not she heard me was uncertain, but I could scarcely hear her shout my name before the light pushed her out of my sight and I knew no more.

(okay, now you get to find out what happens next, k?)

I awoke in absolute darkness, hoping that what had just happened was all a horrible dream, that I had awoken to my Kagome and everyone else and that everything was just fine. I made a move to stand up, but chains held me to the wall in a sitting position. The icy sting of the chains on my now bare chest was burning on my wound left from the fight with the eagle. Wait…I only gave Kagome my haori…where'd my undershirt go? I look at the ground before me to see it ripped in shreds, and that's when I notice that the room smells strongly of blood…_my_ blood. I shut my eyes and thought back to Kagome. I had been so light and content when I was holding her, even though I hadn't even owned my own freedom. Her scent was still burning in my nose, so powerful yet beautiful…just like her. Then it hits me…

She doesn't know.

The last time I ever got to see her, and I never told her.

Any trace of the scent of my shed blood was lost to me in the salty sting of my tears. I bowed my head, trying desperately to keep my watery eyes at bay. I lost the battle and the tears poured down my face, dripping onto the floor.

"Kagome…" I felt something tap my chest lightly. I opened my tearful eyes to see the tiny golden locket she had given me so long ago. I gingerly tried moving my arm so I could open it, but the chains were strewn to that I was only able to move my arms about an inch…maybe two. That locket was the only thing that still connected me to Kagome besides the Beads of Subjugation. I thought back to when I was holding her before I ended up here. The way she looked…so sad…so desperate…

"I never told you…I…was too afraid…" I whispered, my eyes shutting tightly, I cried out,

"I NEVER TOLD YOU!" My voice echoed in the dark cell as I sobbed to no one in particular. My head bowed once again as the tears just kept on coming.

"Kagome…" Sleep tempted me as I began to drift away. "No!" I shook my head violently. I couldn't sleep. If I slept, I would dream that Kagome and I were the way we were before Kaguya took me, and I'd only be adding pain to injury once I awoke. I opened my eyes as I gazed up at the ceiling. There was a barred window about ten feet above me, and that's when I felt the rain come. My tears blended with the raindrops that poured into my cell as I kept thinking about Kagome.

"Enjoying this yet, half-breed?" I lowered my gaze from the ceiling to look at Kaguya in her true form, red coils snaking around her body, which was exposed almost completely except for a loin cloth looking skirt that exposed her legs and a top that only covered her cleavage…utterly disgusting, even for a demon's standards. A low growl escaped my throat as my eyes narrowed.

"What's it to ya, wench?" I snapped as I saw her walk to a circle of water that had her mirror at its center. I instantly remembered this as her Dream Castle, and I was right across from where…where Kagome and I…where we kissed…

"How very interesting that in only the course of a few months, you have lost the desire to become a full demon." Her mirror swiveled in mid air to show me my reflection, and that's when I noticed that there were several more cuts on me than before, explaining why my white shirt was now red with blood and turned into shreds.

"Now that you insist on remaining a half-demon, I have no actual use for you, so I will simply dispose of you." She began to chant as my reflection faded into black. I instantly felt like something was burning me up inside, and that's when I saw that there were four wisps of soft blue smoke emitting from my body and being absorbed into the mirror. I gradually felt absolutely lifeless, and that's when I knew that she was stealing my soul. She wanted my strength. I could feel my heart dipping deeper and deeper into the mirror, and try as I might, I just didn't have enough strength to fight it alone. Nothing could save me at this very moment…nothing but…

"Kagome…"

I had to fight it. I couldn't let myself be set adrift in the seas of darkness that resided within her realm of mirrors. I had to fight…had to fight for her, for my Kagome. I shut my eyes tightly and thought back to any and all moments that I had shared with her, her smile, her eyes, her laugh, the way I would watch her sleep whether it be in her era or mine, the way she would let Shippo curl beside her that I couldn't help but envy the little kitsune. All these memories…they all somehow merged and all I could see was Kagome and I kissing in Kaguya's Dream Castle. I heard glass begin wavering as the curse lifted its huge weight off my heart. Despite how weak I felt from fighting the curse, I grinned as Kaguya hissed and walked away. The instant she was gone, my grin washed away in the rain as I continued to think of Kagome, knowing that she was my only light in Kaguya's eternal darkness.

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I wasn't kidding when I said sad fluffiness. If you think that's bad…wait 'till the plot thickens.


	4. Into the Depths of Darkness

Why hello there! I know that this is going a little quick, but I plan on making it a long story (no longer than 15 chappies, I promise) And to a few people who seem to be saying the same thing, here about if Inuyasha keeps fighting Kaguya's curses, she'll just go after Kagome, well…there's a yes and a no to that…I will not get into detail! Onto the chappie (side note: this will switch between Inuyasha and Kagome POV…MAJOR FLUFF)

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Kagome awoke the next morning absolutely numb. She had hoped that if she fell asleep, she would wake up to Inuyasha sleeping in a tree, or picking on Shippo while Sango was slapping Miroku for being a lecher…in short, she tried sleeping her problems away. She felt like crying, but her eyes ran out of tears, there was nothing left for her to do but numb herself with the hope that she and the others could find Inuyasha before anything bad happened. She stood shakily, Inuyasha's red fire rat haori flowing down to her ankles. She sniffed, pulling the cloth closer around herself. She bent down and picked up the sheathed Tetsusaiga and hugged it to her chest as she had seen him do in his sleep pr on guard duty during the long nights. She sighed at the memories that flooded her every thought as she went back to the campsite. Sango and Miroku were talking quietly as Shippo transformed into a tiny pink ball about the size of a softball and let a tiny Kirara nudge him around with the tip of her nose. She walked over to the two adults as they faced her, each bearing a sad smile.

"Kagome…we couldn't think of anything that might be any help to look for Inuyasha…we're so sorry." Sango said as she rested a hand on her shoulder. Kagome paused in thought, but then had an idea.

"Kirara can pick up and follow scents just as good as Inuyasha…or maybe even better, right? Sango nodded a reply. Miroku tilted his head in confusion.

"What of it, Kagome? What are you talking about?" He asked. Kagome only grinned.

"Kirara, could you help me with something?" The two tailed cat demon mewed a reply and trotted over to the young miko. She knelt beside the little two tail and patted her between the ears.

"Kirara, I need you to go over to that burn in the ground and see if you can pick up a scent other than Inuyasha's or mine, can you do it?" Kirara burst into flames and became her larger form. Nodding, the cat demon stalked over to the pentagon symbol burned into the ground where Inuyasha and Kagome had stood before they were separated. She sniffed here and there, trying to identify and memorize the scent that was filling her nose. Sango and Miroku brightened at Kagome's idea.

"Excellent idea, Kagome-Chan! I guess beauty _does_ come with brains!" Sango got an X on her head as she whacked the monk upside his head with her Hiraikotsu.

Suddenly Kirara lifted her head and roared, signaling that she had the scent. Kagome stroked the fur around the two tail's great neck.

"Great job, Kirara…now can you follow that scent?" Kirara sniffed the air and pointed her head to the east. Without another word, Shippo transformed into a seagull so Miroku could follow Sango and Kagome, who were riding on Kirara. _'Don't give up, Inuyasha,'_ Kagome thought as Kirara led the way to where Kaguya hopefully was._ 'We're coming…just hold on.'_

(Inuyasha's POV)

Inuyasha opened his tired eyes as he sensed that awful wench coming back from Kami knows where. She appeared before him in a swirl of cherry blossom pedals, her mirror glinting dangerously. Disgust was written all over her face as her mirror reflected the injured and imprisoned hanyou.

"Inuyasha…today is the day I will have your soul."

"Now where have I heard that before?" Her scowl only seemed to darken as the mirror's glass surface shown a bright blue.

"Don't challenge me, mutt…you're in no position to threaten anyone." Her mirror's blue glow seemed to grow brighter, so bright Inuyasha had to squint his eyes against its intense light.

"It appears that you have the will to resist mainly because you are driven by that girl…the miko." Inuyasha went from squinting his eyes to narrowing them in fury.

"Don't you dare so much as _touch_ her!" He yelled in his rage. Kaguya smirked.

"Perish the thought, half-breed. I merely want to show you that you are wasting your time." She smirked even more as Inuyasha developed a confused look on his face.

"While you had so nobly handed over your freedom to me, you completely dismissed the idea that someone else might claim her life in your absence." Inuyasha growled menacingly.

"What are you rambling about! Kagome is fine as long as she stays with the others!" Kaguya said nothing but "See for yourself." As her mirror's glow brightened, encasing the entire room in its glow. When the light vanished, they were in what appeared to be the campsite Inuyasha and the others had been in previously. Inuyasha tried moving, but he was still chained to the wall; evidently, Kaguya's mirror only changed the appearance of the room itself. Inuyasha's eyes were instantly drawn to Kagome, sound asleep at the base of a tree. His heart crushed at seeing the tears that had flowed from her eyes in her sleep as she clung to the Tetsusaiga and his haori. He watched her and everyone else stir from their sleep as they heard something approach. Sango made a dash for the Hiraikotsu, but something that appeared to be a tentacle knocked her back. Naraku withdrew his tentacle and charged at the group. Shippo and Kirara were ran through with one sweep of Naraku's claw and died instantly.

"No…! Shippo and Kirara!" Inuyasha whispered to himself. Sango slashed the tentacle with her katana, but it grew another in its place and stabbed her in the chest before she had the chance to block it. The taijia fell to the ground, deathly still.

"Sango…" Inuyasha whispered, his heart tearing at how quickly his friends were being cut down. He heard Miroku call out for Sango as He opened his wind tunnel, Tears flowing down his face.

"KAZAANA!" He shouted. His eyes widened as the hole in his hand grew wider and wider rapidly. His arms were beginning to be absorbed in the cursed hand. He tried sealing the wind tunnel with his rosary, but the curse was too powerful now. He disappeared in the black hole without a trace.

"Miroku…that only leaves…no…NO!" Inuyasha shouted to Naraku, though he couldn't hear him. He turned his body slowly to the miko, who had been frozen with fear the whole time.

"Miko…feel the same fate as your predecessor!" He ran to Kagome at full speed as Inuyasha's heart raced faster and faster.

"No! Kagome…! KAGOME!" He tried desperately to break free from the chains, but he was bound too tightly, so he could only watch in agony as Naraku's claws ran through Kagome's entire body. She fell to the ground, blood flowing from her entire body. Inuyasha tried reaching a hand out to Kagome.

"Kagome…why…Please get up…please…" Her eyes slowly shut as she took her last breath.

"KAGOME!"

(Kagome's POV)

"Kirara, are we getting close?" Kagome asked from the demon's back. The cat nodded a yes as she sensed the smell growing stronger. Kagome's chest puffed up in hope. Sango turned to her friend, and practically adopted sister.

"We'll find him…I promise." Kagome nodded as she smiled, hoping to Kami that her taijia friend was right.

(Inuyasha's POV)

The entire vision ended as the room returned to the way it was. Kaguya smiled.

"Now what do you have to fight for? Why fight at all? Surrender and you will be with Kagome forever…" Her mirror began to absorb his soul in a blue dust as his eyes dimmed, now half lid.

"…nothing will ever part the two of you again." His eyes shut as he managed to whisper "Kagome…" before darkness overtook him.

He opened his eyes slowly a moment later as he felt as though he were falling in mid air.

"What's happening to me?" He whispered as his body spiraled deeper into nothingness.

"Falling…falling…into darkness." His eyes shut as his soul began to fade away.


	5. Awakening

Okay, I know that last chappie was a little confusing, so I'll try and clear a few things up: NO, Sango, Miroku, Shippo, Kirara and Kagome did NOT die, Kaguya just made that up so that Inuyasha wouldn't find any point in fighting to keep his soul, k? Just wanted to make sure everyone was on the same page here…onward! (Uhh…did I just say 'onward?' scary)

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Kirara continued deeper into a lush forest that was caked in the scent she picked up from the curse. The further into the forest she flew, the stronger the scent became until they stopped at a great lake that seemed to be a mirror of its own. Kirara stopped at its edge as she transformed into her smaller form. Whimpering, she lay down in her owner's arms, curled up in a ball.

"We'll have to continue tomorrow, Kirara is worn out from keeping her transformation up this long. It's late, anyway. We should rest." Sango said while stroking Kirara's fur. Miroku and Shippo agreed willingly, seeing as how Shippo had become tired from transforming all day as well. Kagome was a little reluctant to stop when she was so close, but she knew the others were tired, and well, so was she. Without saying a word, everyone began to make a fire in a secluded area of the forest where they were certain that Kaguya wouldn't notice anything out of the ordinary. Kagome sat at the fire hugging her knees to herself, clutching Inuyasha's red haori and his Tetsusaiga like her life depended on it. She stared into the crimson embers, thinking about all the times that she and Inuyasha had sat together, whether in silence or talking about what was to come or just plain talking, in front of a campfire. Her heart crushed as she recalled the last time they had sat together like that, which was only moments before Kaguya revealed herself as that eagle demon they had fought. They had gotten into an argument, nothing new there, but what was new was the fact that it had ended so shortly, and Inuyasha looked so depressed…

_"Inuyasha, I'm going to be leaving to my time for a while, I have some tests to make up, and-"_

_"No." The hanyou stated matter-of-factly as he crossed his arms and shown his trademark look, you know, the whatever-I-say-goes-and-nothing-you-say-matters kinda look. Kagome turned and glared at him, which he responded to the same way._

_"We need to find the jewel shards, got it? And besides, let me remind you that YOU were the one that shattered it in the first place!" She got in his face, making him recoil slightly._

_"I'm well aware of that, as you like so very much to keep reminding me."_

_"Well, that settles it then, you're staying."_

_"Keep nagging at me and I won't come back!" She spat at him. He doubled back for a second in surprise, but then said,_

_"Once we've got all the shards you can go back there anytime you like!" She got so angry at him at those words. Who wouldn't? It's not like he owned her life or anything, or like he could control her. Now they were each staring at each other challengingly, as if egging each other to say something._

_"You want the truth, Inuyasha? Once we have all the shards I MIGHT NOT BE COMING BACK HERE!" Inuyasha froze completely, his eyes swirling with dozens of emotions at once: pain, sadness, regret, anger, shock, confusion, the list just kept going._

_"Kagome…" He whispered softly, his face now absolutely broken. Realization dawned on her, as her eyes widened slightly at what she had just said._

_"Inu…" She gently reached a hand out to him, but he turned, standing as he began to walk away. She stood and began to follow him._

_"Inuyasha!" He stopped as he turned to her in silence, and that's when Kagome noticed his tears showing in the pale moonlight. She reached a hand out to him, gently touching his face with her fragile fingers._

_"Inuyasha…" She said softly. He jerked his head away from her hand, looking away and hiding his eyes with his bangs._

_"Is that…is that how you really feel? Is that what…what you want?" He whispered only loud enough for her to hear. She was shocked that he was being like this, so…sensitive. He NEVER cried before. She opened her mouth, but thought for a second. Was that what she wanted? Was that the way she wanted things to be?_

_"I…I don't really know, Inuyasha. I honestly don't know…" He squeezed his eyes shut tightly as another tear rolled down his face. He turned to face her, but couldn't bring himself to look her in the eye. Instead, he shrugged past her and said,_

_"I can't change the way you feel." She turned and reached her hand out to his back, but he kept moving._

_"Inuyasha…" She whispered. She returned to the fire to see him sitting Indian style, staring into the flames with pained, bloodshot eyes. She sat down next to him, but he turned his head away from her. She looked into the fire and said nothing for a moment, but after some thought, decided enough was enough._

_"Inuyasha?" He turned to her, but refused to make eye contact with her. She sighed lightly._

_"When I said…what I said…I-"_

_"No, Kagome…I get the hint." He refused to so much as turn his head in her direction, lest she see his tears had returned. Kagome looked down at her lap, utterly heartbroken that she had just hurt her hanyou…HER hanyou._

_She was about to explain herself, but there was a shrill cry above them as a huge shadow emerged from the darkness. Inuyasha pulled out the Tetsusaiga, whispering to Kagome,_

_"Kagome, no matter what happens, no matter what you choose, never forget me." She could only nod and reply that she never would before he leapt into the air, ready for combat._

Kagome choked back a sob as she recalled the pain in his eyes, his voice. Didn't he see that she loved him? Didn't he know by now? She hugged herself and began to breathe in Inuyasha's scent from his haori, thinking back to the last time he held her. He smelled strongly of pine and forest, which didn't bother Kagome one bit. Matter of fact, she figured she might as well come out and tell him everything once he was back. With that thought in mind, she drifted off into a somewhat restless sleep.

(Meanwhile, in the castle…)

Kaguya walked over to the still frame of Inuyasha, smiling at the thought that now that he was out of the way, nothing was going to stop her from absorbing that miko's powers. The baka hanyou had actually believed the wench to be dead. Keh. She gazed into her mirror as it showed Inuyasha's soul slowly beginning to lose its fight with the darkness.

"Excellent, half-breed…" She turned to Inuyasha's limp body, playing with his bangs as she brushed them aside to reveal his gently shut eyelids to the coming dawn's sunlight. She walked back to her mirror as there was a crash outside the doors leading to her chamber. She chanted into the mirror as it showed her that the hanyou's five friends had arrived after all. Grinning, she pointed at the door, causing the mirror to swivel in that direction. She disappeared and then reappeared at the front door of her dream castle. The door burst open as Kagome released her arrow upon the mirror. Kaguya smiled, chanting as the arrow was absorbed into the mirror's surface.

"So wild and reckless for a priestess…"

Kagome expected that, for she knew that it could only absorb one of her holy arrows at a time. She quickly drew another while the first was being absorbed. Releasing it, she watched it hit its mark, cracking the mirror. Kaguya didn't seem phased at all, but instead charged at Sango and Miroku, who had just jumped off of Kirara. Sango whipped her Hiraikotsu at Kaguya, who caught it with her sword, throwing it back at her. Miroku stabbed Kaguya in the back with his staff, but had to end the attack quickly as she turned and whipped a red tentacle out of her arm, which he just barely managed to dodge.

"Kagome, go on ahead and find Inuyasha! We'll take care of Kaguya!" Sango shouted as her Hiraikotsu sliced through Kaguya's stomach. Kagome nodded and pressed on further into the castle. She ran down a dark hallway, somehow it seemed all too familiar to her.

"That's strange…it's like I've been here before. But how is that possible? When Kaguya captured me, I only remember that main chamber with that water circle." She whispered to herself. She hoped that she was getting closer, for she felt so open, so vulnerable; no wonder she always stuck so closely to her friends, even in her time. The silence that had settled only made her more paranoid as she went deeper and deeper into the castle. She came to a stop in front of two HUGE doors that seemed to be made of thick bamboo. Pushing one of the doors with her shoulder didn't do anything, so she relied on Inuyasha's number one method: if you come do a dead end, break stuff.

She drew an arrow and shot its purified powers at the doors, making them fly open in pieces. She shuddered at how very much like Inuyasha that was…a scary thought.

"INUYASHA! WHERE ARE YOU!"

(Meanwhile, by Inuyasha's soul…)

He felt himself fall deeper and deeper into the darkness. His eyes were shut lightly as his hair and sleeves whipped around behind him. Wisps of darkness lashed out at him, taking hold of his body and pulling him deeper into the never ending darkness.

"Inuyasha…" He opened his eyes to see the one person he would have personally not wanted to see…EVER…again.

"Ki…kyo…" He whispered as the undead priestess floated beside his now floating frame.

"Come with me, Inuyasha…come with me into eternal night, where nothing will disturb us…" She coaxed with her cold voice. He shook his head with any ounce of strength that he could find in his body.

"It…wasn't…our destiny to…be together. I no longer…love you…even if I did…my love was…always unrequited." He stared coldly at the priestess, who had stared in shock.

"I always loved you!" She protested. He shook his head slightly again.

"Not…me. What you wanted me…to **be**. I don't desire you…anymore." He felt his strength leaving him quickly, his vision beginning to blur as the tragic priestess Kikyo returned to darkness, finally at peace. He knew that, whether he liked it or not, they would be together in hell…any second now. He shut his eyes as he cried out tears that he knew held empty wishes that he was with-

"INUYAHSA! WHERE ARE YOU!" His eyes shot open as he heard her voice.

"Ka…gome…?"A bright light had emitted from his chest as he felt an upward tug. The light glowing in his chest spread throughout his body, encasing him and his surroundings. He felt something pang in his chest as he was jutted out of an eternal curse that damned him to everlasting darkness.

(Meanwhile, by Sango and Miroku…)

Sango whipped her Hiraikotsu at the mirror, painfully reminded of the two cracked ribs that she had obtained whilst in the battle against Kaguya. Miroku threw three sutras at Kaguya's open wounds, which could not heal themselves because the Celestial Robe had been destroyed in Mt. Fuji's crater. Kaguya chanted quickly as a ring of fire encircled Sango and Miroku. It was all over for them unless there could be a miracle.

"Maybe the ring will just disappear and we'll be okay…?" Miroku suggested unsurely. Sango shook her head as she was standing back-to-back with the monk.

"That couldn't happen, that only happens in the really dumb legends and tales from ages ago, then once the 'heroes' are spared, something romantic and gushy happens." She said sadly. The ring of flames closed in on them as they began to scoot closer together until their backs were touching. Suddenly, Kaguya's mirror began to glow a bright blue, then showed Inuyasha's soul, a white glowing aura emitting from it. The mirror shattered as the ring of fire disappeared, leaving Sango and Miroku perfectly fine. They looked at each other awkwardly for a moment and just decided not to comment on that one…

(Meanwhile, by Inuyasha…)

He cringed as he opened his eyes about a quarter of the way, trying to get used to the feeling of being solid again.

"Ka…" He whispered as he heard someone approach the doors to where he was being held. The next thing he saw was someone he had wanted to see for what seemed like centuries, someone Kaguya had claimed to be dead.

"Kagome?" He opened his eyes all the way as he raised his head to see directly in front of him. She knelt beside him, throwing her arms around his neck, burying her face into his hair. He nuzzled the back of her head with the side of his as the chains disintegrated, allowing him to embrace her tightly.

"Kagome…you came…?" He whispered into her hair incredulously. She sobbed into his hair.

"How could I just leave you? I would never forgive myself!" She cried more. He took in her scent deeply, finding that it was making his strength return. He loosened his hold on her to look her in the eyes.

"Come on, let's get outta here." She smiled and nodded.

"Here's your haori, and the Tetsusaiga." He grinned his trademark grin as he put the haori on and slid the Tetsusaiga into his hakama belt. They both stood, Inuyasha kneeling in front of Kagome so she could climb onto his back. Once he made sure she was ready, they took off, promising silently that Kaguya was going to PAY.

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Ta-da! Hope ya liked it! It will be a little longer, but not much. R & R!


	6. Sayonara Kaguya

I know that last chappie was really long, and this one's no exception. For the most part, this chappie focuses on when the Inu gang fight Kaguya. Kaguya will…might…okay, you KNOW she's gonna die, that's just how it always ends! But wait! It's just beginning for our little Inu and Kags!

Inu and Kag: (chibi style) Hey! Who you callin' little!

…ANYWAY…here's the chappie!

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"JUSTICE BE DONE!" Miroku cried as he whipped his last two sutras at Kaguya. She swung her sword at the glowing parchments of paper, shredding them like they were nothing. The battle had seemed to be tipping in Kaguya's favor; she had sustained serious injuries, heck, she was missing an entire arm! But, being a demon, she continued without much difficulty. The houshi and the taijia however, were mere mortals, so they had a hard time fighting with all their injuries. Sango still had the cracked ribs, but now sported a sprained ankle, a cut dangerously close to her left eye, and a huge gash on her side. Miroku's monk robes were stained with huge blotches of blood on his side and on the opposite shoulder, along with several cuts along his face. He spun his staff as the sharp end connected with Kaguya's back. Just as she turned, a streak of gold ran through her body. Sango and Miroku turned in time to see Kagome and Inuyasha standing opposite themselves, sword and bow drawn and ready. Kagome released her arrow on Kaguya, landing right where her heart was, and that seemed to hit her where it hurt (no duh…it's her HEART), for her movements seemed to slow considerably.

"Impudent…wench…" She gasped as she pulled the arrow out of her chest. Kagome rolled her eyes.

"Everyone calls me that…try something a little more creative." Kaguya flashed her a dark look.

"Bitch."

"Heard it."

"Pathetic copy of a priestess."

"Yawn."

"Wretch."

"Getting bored."

"…"

"Run out of used up ideas?"

"SILENCE WHORE!" Kagome paused and looked around mockingly.

"Are you talking to a mirror or something?"

"Ouch! That was harsh!" Shippo said jokingly. Kaguya cried out in anger and charged at Kagome, only to be met with the tip of Inuyasha's Tetsusaiga. The blade ran through her body right down the middle, splitting her in half like a loaf of bread.

"A half-demon…and a bunch of mortals…!" She collapsed as her body disappeared in a haze of black fog.

"Aww, shit." Inuyasha mumbled under his breath as he remembered what happened LAST time she did that.

"Indeed…aww, shit." Miroku added, knowing that if he sucked her up in his wind tunnel, she'd just barrel out eventually and this would happen all over again. The fog began to drift over to Kagome. Inuyasha turned his head just in time to see her get flung back against a pillar. The fog began to absorb into her body as she pulsed a pale blue, almost white. Kagome screamed, trying desperately to fight off Kaguya's aura with her miko powers, but finding it harder and harder to maintain that much focus and will. Inuyasha jumped the gap between them as he hugged her tightly.

"Inu…yasha…run…a-"

"No, Kagome…I'm right here. Kaguya may be strong, but you're _stronger_. You can fight her." He embraced her gently, a silent gesture of support. A fever began burning throughout Kagome's body as she started to go limp. Had it not been for Inuyasha holding her, she would have collapsed.

"It hurts…so much…" It felt like Kaguya was crushing her heart bit by bit, as if enjoying Kagome's suffering. Inuyasha slid his claws through her fine hair as his hold on her tightened.

"Shh…I'm here…I'm right here with you." He could do nothing but stare helplessly at the raven-haired beauty as she began to lose the battle. Inuyasha could already see it, the way her eyes were beginning to dull, the way her scent began to sharpen, and the way her aura grew darker. He knew that there was the possibility that she would lose the fight with Kaguya…

but he was willing to take the chance of dying if it meant staying by Kagome.

"Inu…" Kagome whispered as she fell against his chest. He lifted her head as Kaguya's cerulean blue eyes replaced Kagome's warm hazel eyes. Her entire being seemed to change; any trace of Kagome other than her body was gone. Kaguya's voice overpowered Kagome's, cold and icy like her wrath.

"How does it feel, half-demon? How does it feel to know that you will die at the hands of your love?" Her voice stung in his ears, but he knew that Kagome was in there…somewhere.

"Kagome…I know you can hear me. I know you're still there. You CAN fight Kaguya. You have to snap out of it, Kagome."

_Inuyasha…please! Please run away from me! I don't want this to end like it did before!_

"May you DIE, INUYASHA!" Kaguya drew white claws from Kagome's nails as she began to tear at Inuyasha's haori. He hold only seemed to tighten around the young miko's body, as though reminding her of the promise that he had made to her.

_Inuyasha…I…I can't let her do this to you!_

"Now let this be the final blow!" Kaguya cried out as she raised Kagome's hand in a position to drill her claws into Inuyasha's heart. Her hand shot down, only to freeze right before it touched his red haori.

"What…what's happening…? NO!" Kaguya cried out as Kagome's eyes returned, her body beginning to pulse a deep blue. The claws Kaguya had formed on her dainty hands faded away as she regained her composure. Kaguya's smoky aura faded into nothing as her cries died out with her.

"Inuyasha…I'm so sorry…" She buried her face into his hair again as she passed out. His hold on her slender waist only tightened, if that was at all possible. _'Kagome…I knew it. I knew you were too pure to be controlled.'_ He silently thought as he picked her up bridal style to avoid a falling log from the roof.

"Everybody…RUN…err…FLY!" Miroku shouted as he hopped on a pink puff ball form of Shippo. Sango lay along Kirara's back so that her ribs wouldn't do more damage. Inuyasha held Kagome as they all made a hasty getaway. Inuyasha ran so fast he was practically flying across the water's surface. He leaped into the air and landed on Shippo, mindful not to squish the monk. He held Kagome in his arms, gently brushing her bangs out of her eyes.

"Kagome…" He whispered to the knocked out shrine maiden in his embrace. Miroku began to start some comment about Inuyasha's forwardness towards Kagome, but before he even managed to choke out a single syllable, His mouth slammed shut as Inuyasha kindly gave him four large bumps on his lecherous noggin.

'_Note to self…'_ He thought silently as everyone began to head in the direction of Kaede's village in the Musashi Domain.

'…_next time I make a comment on his behavior…do it while he's NOT THERE.'_

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MUAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Okay I know that this was a kinda cliffy, but these next chappies will have no hacking and slashing (for those of you expecting that…my apologies) but a LOT of angstful romance. Keep a box of tissues close to you when you read the rest of the story, k? R & R peeps!


	7. Sadness in Happiness

Why hello there! I promised that the hacking and slashing gore would end, and it will…but it will be replaced with drama, romance (well…more of it ), angst, and suspense…oh who could forget the ever lovable SUSPENSE! Trust me…keep a BIG box of tissues by you at ALL times while you read this…you'll need it.

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(Inuyasha's POV)

The night air that fluttered in through the window felt cool against my sweating form as I stayed beside her. Sango was in another hut with Miroku, getting their wounds tended to by Kaede. Kaede-sama had already taken care with helping me work the healing herbs on Kagome. She wasn't physically hurt that seriously, but her stamina and inner strength had all but depleted. Fighting Kaguya within herself…I don't know how she managed. I remember how horrible it had been when she tried releasing my demon form upon Kagome…

!Flashback!

It took all I had to stop myself from unleashing my claws on everyone right from the start. I had no direct control over my body, and all I could feel was this horrible sensation clawing at my insides, crying out for blood. All I saw was red. What little control that I had over my body was steadily slipping away from my grasp. I watched Miroku stand in front of me.

"Inuyasha, snap out of it!" He firmly put his hands on my shoulders in a way that a father would to a son if he had done something wrong.

"You're not gonna sell your soul to Kaguya and forget about us!" My head was spinning, and before I could even grasp what was happening, I felt my hand swipe in a diagonal path from my side up to claw through Miroku. All that was running through my head was what a monster that I was becoming…and to think…I _wanted_ this! I heard Miroku's body hit the floor with a loud THUD as he clutched at his shoulder. Kaguya seemed to be the only one that I had no desire to kill…what a surprise given that it was HER spell.

"Excellent, only by releasing the power of darkness can one realize true freedom." Her words were cold and stung at what little humanity that was left inside my body and not in that damn mirror of hers. I heard Miroku say something, but it was all hazy and unclear to me.

"Inuyasha don't do it! Please stop!" I faintly heard Kagome from behind me. My desire and love for her slowly tried to return, but the need for blood shadowed over it and crushed it like a stick.

"Inuyasha!" I heard her footsteps come closer until she was in my line of vision. She pressed herself into my chest as I felt her clutch my haori with her fists.

"Inuyasha, I'm begging you! Please don't change!" I wanted to embrace her right then and there to soothe her, I wanted more than anything to be the irritable half-demon that I was. I tried to fight my raising fists as well as I could, but the pain…the pain was unbearable. My eyes began to burn as I felt them grow their blue irises.

"Inuyasha…" Her voice calling out my name was a mere whisper as her mesmerizing eyes searched mine, which only made my desires of changing back increase tenfold.

"Try what you will…the human heart he possessed is now locked inside this mirror. He will never be a half-demon again." I felt what very little amount of humanity that I clutched to slip right through my fingers, my eyes tracing its pulse into the mirror. I faintly heard Shippo begin to cry for Kagome.

"Kagome, get away from him! You'll be KILLED!" I knew that deep down, that little kitsune was right. If she didn't run away right now, there would be no stopping me from running my claws through the one person that helped me feel like something other than a monster. But instead of running, she simply threw herself into my chest again.

"I love you as a half-demon, Inuyasha!" Instantly, memories of her telling me that she liked me just the way I was, and that there was nothing wrong with staying as I was, to just be myself, they all flooded in my mind, connecting with each other, and all tracing themselves back to my Kagome. Realization dawned on me that she was right; there was absolutely nothing wrong with being a half-demon…not when you had friends and someone that you loved. A sudden will emerged within me that I HAD to fight my demon blood at any costs. I began to thrash around wildly in my attempts to get my human blood back, my mind swirling with visions of Kaguya holding the mirror with my human reflection upon its glassy surface, taunting me with something I couldn't get. Her cold laughter rang in my ears, but all of that subsided and the several vision of Kaguya dispersed to a single, yet beautiful Kagome running to me, calling out my name. My mind was charging at her while I could faintly hear my human side trying to hold my demonic self at bay. My claws were set; there was nothing…absolutely NOTHING that could stop me now. But there was a wave of beautiful rose pedals that seemed to drift in midair, at their center was Kagome, mere inches away from me. She had no look of horror, fear, pain, but instead her face illuminated with something that even Kikyo couldn't muster up: Love.

"I love you. I love you as a half-demon." I froze dead in my tracks, my growls cut short. My eyes cooled down slightly as I felt the blue in them fade away. Kaguya snapped, flashing me a dark look.

"What's the matter, Inuyasha…why the hesitation?" She began chanting more, and any chance of changing back seemed to be lost forever as I growled. I felt the desire for Kagome's blood claw at my insides. '_No…I could never…NO!'_ My mind screamed as my fingers lunged at her arms, my claws sinking into them. Just when I thought everyone had given up on me, including myself, I saw Kagome slowly raise her head to mine, unshed tears on the edge of her eyes. She brought her head closer to mine as she shut her eyes. My body screamed for her blood…until…everything just…stopped. I felt her press her soft lips to mine, and everything seemed to just be lost. My growls were cut off as I felt her lips for the first time. Granted, I was bearing my fangs, so she was only kissing my bottom lip, but her kiss was more than enough reason for me to fight.

"Free the beast of carnage that lives inside you, and once you are a full demon bring me the flesh of that girl!" I let my eyes trace a tear that cascaded down Kagome's face, but she didn't pull out of her kiss. I felt the burning in my eyes cool down to nothing as I felt their normal irises take their proper place. My humanity had returned. I gingerly pulled my claws out of her fragile arms as they turned their normal size. I felt the last of my human blood slip out of the mirror and return to me, and the sickening crack of Kaguya's mirror. If she or anyone else said anything, I wouldn't have heard it. My eyes immediately softened as I began to gently rest my lips on hers._ 'Kagome…'_ I closed my eyes and kissed her back, a silent response telling her that her love did not go unrequited. It wasn't a passionately loving kiss, but it was a kiss that I had been dreaming of that lasted for what seemed like eternity but in reality only lasted a few seconds. We slowly, regretfully pulled apart from each other, and I couldn't help but smile at the beautiful girl that had warmed my heart and taught me to love again, the only one that I had been dreaming of having this feeling with. My eyes were hardly open, and I was just thinking that this had to be some wonderful dream that I would wake up from any second now.

"Inuyasha…are you gonna be okay now?" I still felt a small bit of her blood on my claws burning, and I felt the guilt return.

"Kagome…" I pulled her into my arms as I rested my head on top of the side of her crown.

"Are you nuts! I could have really hurt you!" I all but whispered into her ebony locks. I wanted to stay like this forever, to never let her go, never stop whispering soft words into her ears. But all good things come to an end, so I pulled her closer, whispering,

"I'll stay a half-demon a while longer…just for you." I felt her nod into my chest, and I knew that everything would be okay.

!End Flashback!

I still felt the soft texture of her lips whenever I closed my eyes. I absentmindedly reach up a clawed finger to them, but shook my head and focused on Kagome. She was lying on a futon with a cloth placed on her forehead. I reached to the cloth, only to find that it was dry. I took it and submersed it into a bucket of water Kaede had set aside for such things. Wringing out the cloth and returning it to her forehead, I pressed it gently to emphasize the purpose of water. She looked so weak…like she just didn't have anything left inside her other than a heartbeat and a pulse. I lay down on the floor next to the beautiful girl that had my heart in her delicate hands, my eyes never leaving her face. Sleep had tempted me for the tenth time that night, and try as I might, it was too much to resist this time; I could feel her body warmth emitting from her frame, her scent coaxing me to let my guard down and rest. I brought my hand up and gently caressed her cheek before sleep covered my eyes and I knew no more.

(Kagome's POV)

My head was still aching slightly as I opened my eyes. My eyes swept over my surroundings as I recognized it as Kaede's hut. I felt someone's soft, but warm breath tickle my right cheek, so I turned my head to find Inuyasha sound asleep at my side. I felt a deep blush creep up my cheeks. I tried to sit up in silence, but I breathed in sharply as I felt like there was something sharp in my side. I could hardly move a muscle without there being pain. Inuyasha must have sensed that there was something wrong, because he sat up, his eyes locking onto mine. I gave him a small reassuring smile, but the hanyou wasn't sufficed with just a smile, or so his facial expressions said. But maybe there was something he was hiding…he had it in his eyes…but I couldn't quite put my finger on it…

(Inuyasha's POV)

!Dream!

I was walking through a field, the scent of fresh grass thick in the air. I suddenly picked up…her scent…Kagome was awake! She was okay! I turned and sprinted in the direction of her scent. As I came near, I could see her figure silhouetted against the moon, standing on a hill as the wind whipped her ebony wave of hair to her side. I walked up to her and put my arms around her from behind. She turned in my arms, at first surprised, but she leaned into my chest as I held her closer. We began to sway gently as I rested my head on hers. She lifted her head as we stopped swaying, gazing into my amber orbs with bright happiness and love. I leaned my head in close, resting my forehead onto hers as we continued to stare longingly at each other, eyes shimmering in the darkness of the night. She began to lean her head in even closer, her eyes softening more, if that was at all possible. I followed suit, determined to feel her smooth lips touch mine again, determined to tell her how I felt, unafraid to hold anything back, knowing that this is what I had desired all along with all my heart. She suddenly jerked back slightly as she shut her eyes tightly, sharply inhaling. I held her gently, asking her what was wrong, pleading for her to let me help her. But she pushed me away completely as I watched her run away from me, repeating the same words that shattered my heart into smaller fragments than the Shikon no Tama…

"We can't be like this…I have to return to my time. I won't come back…I'm sorry." I cried out to her, but her body seemed to fade away right in front of me. I hit my knees, yelling her name over and over again, pleading for her to come back to me.

!End Dream!

(Inuyasha's POV)

I jerked my head up as I heard her inhale sharply. She cringed as she opened her eyes, and then looked at me. When she realized that she wasn't the only one awake, her cringe turned into a warm smile, a small smile, but it still held every bit of beauty as her full smiles. I tried smiling back, but the memory of both what she said at the camp before this whole Kaguya resurrection thing happened and what she had said in my dream were still haunting me. I looked away and out the window, staring at the stars. I heard her try to sit up, but there was another sharp inhale. I immediately placed one hand behind her shoulders, my other hand resting gently on her stomach as I carefully lifted her to a sitting position. I couldn't bring myself to look at her directly in the eye, not for what she had said, but for what I had DONE. I failed in my duty to protect her with my very life, and it almost cost me the one that I love most. I could do absolutely nothing as I felt her slip almost completely through my fingers…I was powerless…

I was weak.

My thoughts were interrupted as she gently lifted her hand and placed it on my cheek, turning my head so that we were looking at each other eye to eye. She smiled another brilliant smile of hers, but I could see the sadness in her eyes.

"What's wrong, Inuyasha?" She said softly. I couldn't look at her, so instead I replied,

"It's nothing…just forget it. Go back to sleep…Kami knows you need the rest after…what happened…"

"Are you okay? I mean, those were some pretty bad cuts you had." I smiled inwardly. That was my Kagome; always thinking about everyone else first before worrying about herself.

"They're healed…for the most part. Are you okay, though? I…I tried protecting you…" She never stopped smiling.

"I've been meaning to thank you for that." I turned to look at her, surprise completely overtaking any other feeling that I had within me.

"I've been meaning to thank you for saving me. If it weren't for you, I'd have been dead a long time ago." I covered my eyes with my bangs as I felt the guilt pour on me relentlessly.

"But…Kaguya almost took you…"

"You were there to support me. That's the same as saving me."

"I don't see how-"

"When Kaguya claimed that her claw swipe would be the final blow and I saw where she was aiming, I knew that I had to fight her. I knew that I had to win. Because of you, Kaguya couldn't stand up to me." Her words were amazingly sweet to my ears. I felt pride swell up inside me, and I, once again, screwed up a perfectly good moment to tell her how I felt…

"Like hell I helped you! You did that all on your own. And besides, if I'd had lost you to the likes of her…well…let's just say that the day I stop protecting you is the day I let you go mate with Koga."

"Whaddya mean 'the day you LET me mate with Koga?'" She said softly, but dangerously. I gulped, knowing that if I didn't say something good real quick, I was gonna say hello to Mr. Extremely-painful-damn-subjugation-spell…

But then again, I never knew what to say.

"Would you want to mate with Koga?" I asked softly, not in anger, but in sadness. She smiled at me again, lifting my head so our eyes could meet once more.

"I don't want to mate with Koga. We're just friends, and besides, I like someone else."

"Who is it that you like?" She shook her head. I tried pressing the question, but she refused to say anything more, but instead lie back down and fell asleep. I lay back down beside her, making sure that she was sound asleep before I placed a comforting arm around her middle. So, who WAS this guy that she liked? Could it be…no…I need to stop getting my hopes up. No one could ever love a disgusting hanyou like me. I know that she said that she loved me a while ago, but the question is did she mean it? I've wanted to ask her, but I'm really shy when it comes to things like that. I could blow off steam and rant about anything whenever I wanted, but when it came to telling people about how I felt (especially Kagome) and try to open up, I can't do it. I never felt this way…EVER. And who could blame me? I've felt rejection, even from someone I thought I had loved, but I couldn't take it from her…not my Kagome. I look over at her sleeping frame, and my worries seem to dissolve inside me, leaving only this serenity that I couldn't put into words. Her scent is too much for me to handle with a conscious mind. I pulled my arm regretfully away from her as I settled for leaning my head in closer to hers. Nothing wrong with it, for she had turned her head, leaving me to gaze upon the glistening ebony abyss of her hair. I deeply inhaled her scent, feeling drowsy and yet excited all at once. It's a mixed emotion, but in the end all it does is take me into a deep slumber where nothing's wrong and I'm with my Kagome.

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NOT THE END PEOPLE! I know it was long and everything, but trust me, there's gonna be some pretty dramatic stuff coming up. R & R!

P.S.- why is it that only three people keep reviewing? Ah well!


	8. Raindrops fallin' on my head

Konnichiwa! I know that last chapter was REALLY long…over 3000 words, actually, and this one will be a little bit shorter…I'm aiming for 2500-3000, but no more. If I go over that, please do not send me flames! They will just be used to make SMORES! Ahem…on with the chappie!

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Inuyasha was the first to wake that morning, as usual. He had been awoken by the early beams of the approaching dawn. Fearing that they would wake Kagome up as well, he shielded her eyes with his haori, resting one of its sleeves gently over her eyelids and leaving his bare chest exposed to the cold of early dawn. He quietly went to the back of the hut and fetched a spare white undershirt identical to the one Kaguya had torn into shreds. He always kept a few extras around, just in case. Crawling back over by Kagome, he relayed the memory of when he held her before he was taken, he had memorized the way she felt, knowing that the chances of her letting him do that again were slim to none. _'But…she felt so…'_ He shook his head as he sat with his legs under him, watching Kagome sleep, the top half of her head covered by the sleeve of his haori. A light breeze blew through the open window as the sky clouded over. He smelled rain coming, and it would be a downpour judging from the intensity of the scent. He sighed and removed his haori from Kagome's eyes, knowing that the sun wouldn't shine likely all day. He pulled the tattered cloth that served as a shield over the window to keep the rain from coming in when it came. He bowed his head, staring at his feet, his back turned to the sleeping raven haired miko.

"Why is it that I always have feelings for someone that I don't deserve?" He whispered to himself. He figured Kagome would rest a little easier without his youki clouding the air around her, so he walked outside, figuring that he'd best get some exercise in before the rain hit.

Kagome awoke when she felt Inuyasha's youki leaving her range of sense. She sat up, surprised that her miko powers had been refreshed so quickly. She stood and jogged lightly in the direction of Inuyasha's youki, hoping that she wasn't intruding on anything. She kept jogging for a while, but came to an abrupt stop when she spotted the hanyou over by Goshinboku, crouched down as though he were either hiding something or looking for something. Which of the two he was doing Kagome couldn't tell. She backed up and ducked behind a tree, giving him enough room to let him have his privacy but close enough to see and hear what it was he was doing.

(Inuyasha's POV)

I thought about my relationship with Kagome as I wandered deeper into the forest, letting my feet take me wherever they so pleased. I had somehow wandered into the clearing and was now beside the Goshinboku. I thought about whether I should just crash on top of one of its branches until the rain came, but I decided against it. I continued to think about her…her smile, her laugh…just anything about her. I stopped as I wondered how I was going to tell her. I could just flat out say "Hey guess what Kagome I love you!" one day, but everyone (including myself) would begin to question my mental capability. I could just take her to the side one night and blow her away with a kiss, but I know that the only thing that I'll be kissing after that for a while is DIRT. I'm starting to run out of ideas…flowers? Too mushy, too out of character for me. Confession? Well…no duh, now if only I knew how to SAY IT. Flirting? Nah, that'd seem too…I dunno…awkward. What about those "date" things she always talked about? Possibility…if I knew what it was. That's when it hit me: I could just write to her and tell her how I felt in a note! I fumbled around in my haori, pulling out a tiny brush and a bottle of ink that was about half full. Unscrewing the cap of the ink bottle and dipping the tip inside the ink, I plopped myself on one of Goshinboku's great roots as I continued to look around my haori for a piece of parchment. Finding one, I rested the paint covered tip of the brush on the top of the parchment, pausing to think.

What was I going to write? I couldn't just say 'I love you' in big huge letters all across the paper and hand it to her without her questioning my sanity. Nope, I wasn't THAT stupid. I thought long and hard…okay…so maybe I AM that stupid…but…wait! I could tell her how I felt about what happened in Kaguya's Dream Castle…nah…that'd never work…too corny. I thought about what she had said before…that once we had all the shards she might not be coming back here. My face clouded over at the memory of it. Maybe…yeah…that just might work! I began painting the words onto the parchment, mindful to be somewhat neat so that it was legible; I couldn't have Kagome thinking that I was completely illiterate, because that's just not true. The words seemed to flow from the tip of my brush, and before I knew it, I used up half of the ink that I had and I had just about enough room on the SECOND side for…three more sentences. I thought a little about them, wrote them, let the ink dry and folded it neatly. Tucking the other items into my robe, I took the note and headed home, eager to give it to Kagome. I suddenly saw a flash of black, green and white. What was that? I'd better find out; if it was who I think it was, then I can relax. Otherwise…I'll get a good exercise killing a few demons.

(Kagome's POV)

I watched him from behind, trying to see what it was he was doing, then I saw him set a bottle of ink down beside him, and that's when it occurred to me: He's writing something…or perhaps drawing, that could be it, too. I watched with curiosity as his hand swished freely across the parchment, and became horrified as he began to gather his things up. I knew where he was headed, but I also knew he thought that I was still asleep. I turned as he began to head in my direction and ran as fast as my legs could carry me. I froze in my tracks as I heard a twig snap to my left. I had thought for sure that I was alone…I was positive…there was a wave of red as I was about to scream, but I felt a familiar hand rest gently on my lips.

"Don't scream…it's me." I relaxed as I realized that it was Inuyasha, but I was kinda surprised that he didn't yell at me, or call me stupid or anything like that, but he spoke so softly…it was kinda…strange. He was never THIS nice. He put his hand down back to his side as he motioned for me to follow him back to the village.

"What the heck are you doing up, Kagome? You need to rest!" He said as he looked at me while we kept walking.

"I feel fine, really. I'm doing a lot better." He smiled in relief…hey wait a minute…he doesn't SMILE…hardly ever! Okay…who is this guy and what did he do with my Inuyasha?

My Inuyasha…

When the hell did THAT start!

"Kagome? Helloooooooo? Earth to Kagome!" Inuyasha waved a clawed hand in front of my face.

"Huh? Oh…gomen, Inuyasha. I was just…thinking…"

"Keh. Whatever. Let's just get back to the village before it starts raining, slowpoke." So much for NICE…ah well. He's still my Inuyasha, nice or not. He knows it whether he likes it or not; I'm the only one with the control to…

"Inuyasha?"

"Hm?" I smile as I shut my eyes, lifting my head proudly.

"Sit."

**BAM!**

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Much shorter than the last chapter, I know. What did Inuyasha write, you all ask? You will see in a few chapters…maybe two or three. Like I said: SUSPENSE.


	9. Ummthis is awkward

Hi everyone! Okay, so that last chapter just ended up in Inuyasha kissing the floor, but there will be a few moments where he comes SO close to giving her the note, or…Oops! I said too much! runs away somewhere random

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Inuyasha peeled himself off of the floor, grumbling under his breath a little, but just couldn't find the will to stay angry with his Kagome. They continued walking once the sit spell wore off, neither saying anything for a while. Surprisingly, it was Inuyasha that broke the silence between them.

"So…what do you plan on doing once the jewel's complete?" He asked her, trying to sound casual, but deep down he was desperate to have her stay with him. She looked at him, but then just smiled.

"Well…that depends, Inuyasha. I mean…if you use the jewel to become a full demon, I'll have to leave; I can't travel between times without at least a fragment of the Shikon no Tama and you know that." He nodded and continued pretending that he had no concern as to what she had decided. They were about half way to the village when it started pouring rain. It came out of no where and without warning, throwing the hanyou and the miko into a swirl of falling water. Inuyasha picked her up and swiftly ran the rest of the way to the village, cursing the rain from breaking their moment of conversation off. They ducked into Kaede's hut just as a streak of lightning flew across the sky, thunder roaring in the clouds. At the thunder and lightning, Kagome gave a little "Eeep!" as Inuyasha put her down, only to have her cling to him like he was a life line. He turned his head to keep her from seeing the blush that streaked across his face, feeling her body warmth begin to return from the cold of the rain. She was so close…but she can't know that he LIKED it like this…not until she saw the note!

"I would figure that after such a long time of slashing through demons and other random crap, you'd be totally fearless of the thunder, ya wimp!" He snorted, but realization dawned on him a bit too late that Kagome had THAT look in her eye.

And by THAT look, I mean the one that is usually followed with…

"SIT!" She forgot that she was still holding him, which resulted in him dragging her forcefully down with her, crushing her underneath him.

"This is…awkward…" Inuyasha blushed furiously. Kagome looked like she was about to die.

"Get off of me, Inuyasha!"

"I would…if I could."

"The spell lasts that long?" He nodded, his blush only darkening, making his haori look pale in comparison.

"How long does it take?"

"A few minutes to weaken, a few more for me to actually move…so you're looking at…five minutes." Okay, he lied a little. Actually, he could probably get up in a few seconds, but she…was…right…THERE. He couldn't resist but to have her so close for a little longer, even though if she ever found out she'd most likely sit him into his own grave.

"Inuyasha?"

"Hm?"

"I hate to break your train of thought, but you said five minutes and it's been…like…ten. Please get off? I can't feel my legs."

"Oh! Right, sorry, just trying to keep my mind off of this, lost track of time!" Lie, lie, lie, lie, LIE. This little "incident" was the only thing on his mind! He scrambled to his feet, helping Kagome up. He wasn't sure why, but he had a feeling that the awkwardness was just beginning.

"KAGOMEEEEEEEEEEE!" Shippo cried as he launched himself onto the miko. She smiled as she hugged him, sitting by the small fire that Kaede had lit in the center of the hut. Sango and Miroku were sitting across from where Kagome and Shippo sat, talking and laughing. Inuyasha took his seat right next to Kagome, quite a bit closer to her than usual. She blushed, but didn't scoot away, but rather stayed right where she was.

"So, Kagome-chan, are you still going out on one of those "dates" with that boy you were telling me about…Hojo I think you said?" Kagome's face brightened up considerably.

"Yeah, I can't wait!" Inuyasha looked like he wanted to die right then and there, gaping at her, his jaw finding a spot on the floor.

"What is a "date" again, Kagome-chan?" Miroku asked curiously. She smiled as she cleared her throat.

"When two people really like each other, they go somewhere together and spend the whole day just going places and just being around each other." The houshi nodded in understanding as Kagome looked at her watch.

"Oh! I have to go and get ready! See you guys later!" She ran to the door, but Inuyasha beat her to it.

"You can't go on a date with this 'Hojo' guy!" He cried out as he brought his arms out to block the doorway. Kagome gave him the death glare.

"Why not?" He froze as he saw the fire in her eyes.

"Well…it's just…I uh…" He scratched the back of his head.

"If you can't tell me whatever it is that you're thinking, then we have nothing more to talk about. Now, if you'll excuse me…" She started walking, but Inuyasha held fast, placing his hands on her shoulders gently.

"Look, I'm not saying that you can't go…at all…but…" He was feeling about three inches tall right about now, and his words spewed out of his mouth like vomit.

"Whydoyoulovethiscreepyguyfromyourtimeandnotme?" Kagome and the others had to stop for a minute to separate the words that he had combined into one, and once they figured it out, everyone grew awkwardly silent.

Did I say Inuyasha felt three inches tall? My bad, now it's about a half an inch.

"Inuyasha-kun, pardon my asking, but is that…_jealousy_ that I hear in your voice?" Miroku said casually as he polished his staff, not looking up from the task. Inuyasha gulped loudly as beads of sweat ran down his face, shivering like he was in Antarctica.

He knew there would be more awkward moments than just that 'sit.'

"NO THERE WAS NO JEALOUSY, YA BAKA!" Inuyasha spat at the houshi. Kagome tried walking past him again.

"Look, I really have to go." She began to run through the pouring rain in the direction of the well. Inuyasha made a move to follow her, but Sango slammed the Hiraikotsu down in front of him, missing his body by mere inches.

"Sango WHAT THE HELL! Let me go to her!" He snapped at the taijia. Sango shook her head sternly.

"Look Inuyasha, Kagome has chosen to go out with this 'Hojo' guy, and you should respect her wishes. If you really care about her, that is…" She trailed off as she saw Inuyasha's head bowed low, his eyes covered by his bangs.

"Listen…that doesn't mean that she doesn't like you or anything, it just means that she thinks you don't want her, that's all." She lifted her Hiraikotsu from the ground and went back by Miroku, who had heard every word Sango had said. Inuyasha turned his head in the direction Kagome had went, his soul crying out for her to come back to him, tell him that she loved him more than that other guy…but he knew he was beat. Sango's words still rang in his ears.

_"…she thinks that you don't want her, that's all."_

_'But…I do…I don't just want her…' _He thought as he slid down the wall beside the door, fading into the shadows as he began to fall into a light sleep.

_'…I **need** her.'_

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Okay, I know that the chances of Hojo going out with Kagome are slim to none in the series, but I figure "what the hey!" The next chapter will be switching from Inuyasha to Kagome POV, and a few short Hojo POV (just for kicks) so see ya then!


	10. Wake me up When Sept ends

Okay, as I said, this'll be mainly Kagome and Inuyasha POV, with a little Hojo POV. I'm warning you in advance, this is where the sadness begins, if you catch my drift. Here ya go! (Just as a warning: Hojo might be a little out of character, but there shouldn't be that much of a difference) Song fic to the song "Wake me up when September Ends" by Green Day.

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(Kagome's POV)

I jumped out of the well as I burst through the shrine doors. I hurried into my room, hastily greeting Mama, Sota, and Grandpa as I went, and began getting my outfit out and such. Hojo was taking me to Homecoming, so I needed to look really good. I pulled out a beautiful red dress that had cap sleeves, the skirt flowing slightly from my body, on the torso of the dress were tiny swirls of white glitter, but not a lot, and tiny sparkles dotting around my hip level. I slipped the dress on after I took my school uniform off, careful to put my wet hair out of the way of the dress until I had dried it. I went into the bathroom and grabbed a brush and a hair dryer. Once I was free of the matted down wet head, I pulled my hair into a bun, leaving a few wisps of hair down to accent my face. I did my make-up, which was some black eyeliner, pink eye shadow, and some wine red lipstick with a shiny gloss over it. I slipped on my new black heels, just fancy enough to look nice but didn't have too much heel for dancing or walking. Inspecting myself in the mirror, I began to quietly wonder what Inuyasha would think about it…but I already knew what he would say…

_"What in seven hells are you WEARING! You look HORRIBLE!"_ or something along those lines. I sighed, willing myself out of crying by thinking to myself that I wasn't on a date with Inuyasha, I was with Hojo…

if only it were the other way around…

I shook my head clear of those thoughts as I heard the doorbell ring. I made my way down the steps, part of me hoping that it was Inuyasha at my door, coming to sweep me off my feet with a kiss of a lifetime, part of me hoping that Hojo forgot to pick me up.

"Hello Ms. Higurashi, is Kagome ready yet?" I heard Hojo's voice fill the stairway. My heart half leaped, half sank as I put on a warm smile for my "date" to Homecoming.

"Higurashi, you look…you…" He scratched the back of his neck as I saw a slight blush creep across his cheeks.

"Um…here…for you…" He handed me a beautiful bouquet of flowers as my smile dimmed slightly. Flowers…every type of flower that I was ALERGIC to was in that bouquet. Swell…at least my mom knew and kindly took them to be put in a "vase."

And by "vase" I mean the dumpster.

Hojo kindly offered me his arm as he turned to walk out the door. I shyly took it, noting that he was being awful gentlemanly about this date…ah well. I might as well enjoy being complimented and treated nicely by someone other than Koga.

(Inuyasha's POV)

I sat atop the lowest branch of Goshinboku, overlooking the well that connected me and Kagome, waiting for her scent to knock me full force and see her shining head pop out from the dark hole in the ground. Fortunately, the rain stopped, even though it didn't do much to help my mood. She had chosen 'Hobo' over me…but…that kiss…and what she had said…

…didn't that mean something to her?

What had happened…EVERYTHING that has happened between us means the world to me, but does she know that? Does she even care about any of that? I mean, I haven't told her that I wasn't planning on becoming a full demon, or going to hell with Kikyo…but I was getting to it! I really was! Miroku is bugging me now; I can hear him from right beneath my branch, telling me to go to Kagome before she leaves. I simply shake my head and "Keh" without so much as looking at him. I hear him sigh and walk away. I open one eye and watch him go. As soon as he's out of sight, I jump straight from the branch to the well, becoming encased in a soft blue light as I fly five hundred years into the future.

"Kagome…Kagome are ya in here?" I poke my head in her room, looking around the space, but only finding her little brother, Sota. He turns around and kinda jumps at the realization that he wasn't alone.

"What are you doing alone in Kagome's room? Where is she?" He looks kinda sweaty, and I sense tension emitting off his aura strongly.

"She went to Homecoming at her school." Oh…great…that damn "school" thing.

"What's 'Homecoming?'"

"It's a dance, and she went with Hojo…uhh…you feeling okay?" Growls emerge from deep inside my throat.

"Is he her 'date' thing?" Kagome's little sibling nods a reply. My growls only grow louder.

"How do I get to her 'school?'?"

"I dunno, Inuyasha…maybe you should just hang around here until she comes back…"

"And what- leave her with that hobo guy? For-get-it, now tell me how ya get there." Sota gives me directions, and as a safety precaution he goes to her 'dresser' thing and pulls out a bottle with liquid.

"She wore this, it's called perfume."

"She's worn some of that stuff before in my time." He sprays the air and lets me catch the scent so I can find her easier.

"Got the scent, thanks kid." I fly out the window, taking the path that I was told to go in, sniffing around occasionally for my Kagome.

(Kagome's POV)

Hojo takes my hand as we arrive at school, opening the door for me and bowing slightly.

"Ladies first, Higurashi." He lets go of my hand as I thank him and walk through, him behind me. The gym was decorated with streamers of all sorts of colors, but I couldn't really tell which was which due to the lights being so low. The music was somewhat fast, so I danced to my heart's content. Then the DJ began taking requests, and that's when Hojo requested a slow song. The song reminded me a lot about Inuyasha…much to my dismay and joy.

_Summer has come and past,_

_The innocent can never last._

_Wake me up when September ends._

Hojo placed his hands on either of my hips, blushing at how close we were. I wrapped my arms around his neck, actually getting more lost in the song than the one I was dancing to it with.

_Like my father's come to pass_

_Seven years has gone so fast_

_Wake me up when September ends._

That's right…Inuyasha was born a few minutes before his father died…I remember him telling me about how he never remembered a thing about his dad. I had asked Myoga about it after the incident with Sounga, and that's how I found out about his father's death.

_Here comes the rain again_

_Falling from the stars_

_Drenched in my pain again_

_Becoming who we are._

Then he met Kikyo, only to have Naraku get him killed by her when they had been pulled into his evil plan…I can only imagine just how painful it was to be put under an entrapment spell by someone you love…

_As my memory rests_

_But never forgets what I lost_

_Wake me up when September ends._

…and now he's haunted with the memories of losing Kikyo…TWICE…and he will never forget it…

(Hojo's POV)

Wow…she looks great in that dress. Why has it taken her so long to go out with me? Oh yeah…those strange diseases. What horrible things! Anyway…wait…she's wearing lipstick…uh-oh…that'll be a problem when I go for it. Aww what the hell, here I go…

(Kagome's POV)

_Summer has come and past_

_The innocent can never last_

_Wake me up when September ends_

Hojo is leaning his head in towards mine, his eyes remaining open, searching me for any signs that he should stop. I give him none, figuring if Inuyasha is going to hell with Kikyo then I'm not going to have to accept that and move on. I can sense his nervousness, but I smile to calm him into kissing me.

_Ring out the bells again _

_Like we did when spring began_

_Wake me up when September ends._

We're close now…and then…we kiss. It's a shy, questioning kiss, but it deepens as I pull him a little closer. He's shaking, I can tell. Suddenly I wonder if I should push away. Inuyasha and I DID kiss first, after all…but I just deepen it more. Inuyasha had made his choice, and I can't…no…WON'T change that. I sense a demonic aura suddenly as Hojo and I pull apart…I turn my head in its direction and let a gasp escape my lips.

"Inuyasha…"

(Inuyasha's POV)

"No…Kagome…" I watch as her soft lips are covered by that Hojo guy's. I wait…I wait for Kagome to push him away…I wait for her to realize that I'm here…

I wait…

…but it never happens.

I see her deepen the kiss as she brings him closer to her. My mind screams at me to run and start slashing that guy to pieces for so much as daring to touch Kagome, but my body will not obey.

_Here comes the rain again_

_Falling from the stars_

_Drenched in my pain again_

_Becoming who we are_

I feel my tears fall down my face, I try desperately to stop them, but they keep coming. If Kagome felt anywhere NEAR this amount of pain every time she used to see me with Kikyo…I don't know how she found the will to even look me in the eye.

_As my memory rests _

_But never forgets what I lost_

_Wake me up when September ends._

They break apart as she turns in my direction. Despite the music, I can hear her faintly whisper my name. She took a step in my direction, opening her mouth to say something, but I was too afraid…too afraid to hear what she was going to say. I turn and run out into the pouring rain, which had only just now started. My mind spins with questions that went unanswered.

Why did she kiss him?

Why didn't she push away?

Didn't she realize how I feel?

Did she care how I felt?

Does that kiss…OUR kiss…mean anything to her?

Is this how it felt to her when she saw me and Kikyo?

Is this her idea of payback?

_Wake me up when September ends._

I slip on a puddle of water, but don't bother getting up for a while…just kneeling in the rain, sobbing. I hear someone approach, so I scramble to my feet, running to the shrine. Instead of going into the shrine, I go to her window, opening it gingerly. No one's in here, but her scent liners, making me cry all the harder.

_Summer has come and past_

_The innocent can never last_

_Wake me up when September ends._

I pull out the note that I was going to give to Kagome, which miraculously stayed dry, and put it on her pillow. I turn back to the window, about to jump out of it, but something catches my eye. I look at the top of her desk, at one of those "pictures" of hers. It showed her and I in her house. We must have fallen asleep, because she and I had our eyes shut. We were sitting, her head was on my shoulder, and my head was on hers. I placed two fingers to my mouth, pressed my lips to them, and then gently placed them on the glass surface near Kagome's smiling face.

_Like my father's come to pass_

_Twenty years had gone so fast_

"Goodbye, my Kagome…I love you." I jump out into the rain, making my way to the well and going back to my time…waiting for my Kagome.

_Wake me up when September ends._

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sniff sad, sad chappie. IT IS NOT THE END! You still don't know what the note says, and what Kagome will do when she finds out what it says, or who she will end up with (even though the pairings kinda give it away)


	11. The Note

Dudes…I'm still blowing my nose from typing that last one…sniff Here's the next part (oh, and just so you know, this is going to start off with where it said Inuyasha heard footsteps, well, that's where it'll start)

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(Kagome's POV)

"INUYASHA!" I ran out of the school, hoping that he would stop once he heard me. I faintly saw his shadowed figure running through the downpour of rain. Next thing that I knew, he was on his knees about three blocks away from me. He didn't move. I ran to catch up with him, but as I was about two yards away, he hurried to his feet and flew down the street. I stopped running, knowing that there was no way on earth that I'd be able to catch him, and if I said sit he would take it the wrong way.

"Inuyasha…" I whispered through the raindrops. I walked the rest of the way home, not really caring what happened to Hojo. I kept relaying the kiss Hojo and I shared right before I saw Inuyasha…but I felt nothing. No warmth inside me. No blush creeping across my face…nothing. Why did I even bother kissing him back? I didn't even like him like that…so what in the hell made me want to LET him kiss me in the first place? I then think about the kiss that Inuyasha and I shared. Instantly, I smile as a slight blush creeps up my face. Despite the rain, I feel an unbelievable heat rouse up in me butterflies float in y stomach, only to have the feeling doused with the memory of the look on Inuyasha's face as he saw me with Hojo. I walk up the steps to my house slowly, letting my thoughts swirl around me like the rain that was falling from the sky. My family greeted me with warm smiles, but I turned my head in shame, knowing that I didn't deserve a single one of those innocent smiles. I walk up to my room, about to throw myself onto my bed and cry, but then I notice something…

…something on my pillow…a note…

I walked over to the folded piece of paper…wait…this is parchment! Parchment hasn't been used since…

…since the Feudal Era.

I quickly pick up the parchment and unfold it, beginning to read, and as I read, I felt the guilt inside me grow with every letter painted on the note.

_Kagome, I didn't really know how to start this note…as you can tell from my handwriting, I don't write very often. I know that this is going to sound kinda corny and all, but at least hear me out…please I've been thinking lately about what you said, about not coming back once we had all the jewel shards. When you said that, it felt like someone just stabbed me in the heart…I've literally felt it before, and it hurts…a lot. I know you might not see things the way I do all the time…but I just wish you would understand why I snapped like I did when you wanted to go into your time. When you go there…I'm scared, Kagome…more like terrified. I'm scared because I'm not there with you, not there to protect you. I mean, at first, when you first shattered the jewel, I didn't let you go because I just wanted to find the shards as soon as possible, but the more I got to know you…the more that all changed…the more I changed. When Naraku pulled Kikyo and I into that trap that pitted us against one another, once I was sealed to Goshinboku, my heart let itself slip into isolation as it did after my mother died. I hated humans. I hated demons…hell…I hated MYSELF. With every year that passed as I was pinned to Goshinboku, I found myself building layer upon layer of shield around myself, forgetting everything that I once was and vowing to never be that way again. You changed all that. You taught me that it's not all about your blood or your family line…it's what YOU take your life and make it into. The more I got to be with you, close to you, you penetrated through my shield, crumbled my defenses, took my very heart and melted the ice that had surrounded it, and I'll never be the same. When you said you'd leave, I didn't know what to do. I couldn't take not being around you, Kagome. You're the only person that I ever met other than my mother that was proud to say that they knew me, accepted me for who I was, didn't care what others said about staying by me, but just liked being around me. I never felt like this before. I never felt so open to anyone. You want to know why I don't really look you in the eye for very long? When I do, it's like I can feel you delving into the very depths of my soul…and that's NEVER happened before. When I look into your eyes, I get lost…I lose any sense of logic and my mind is only focused on you. I never felt that way, either…not even with Kikyo. I thought long and hard on how I was going to show you how I felt…I thought of things like flowers all the way to just flat out doing something stupid to get your attention, but I figured a note would suffice. What I'm trying to say is…is that…I…it's funny, really, I'm having a hard time telling you on a piece of parchment. But this feeling…deep inside me…I can hardly put it into words. When you're near me, I'm calm…almost in a meditative state; my mind is light and absolutely carefree. I know I don't show it, but that's because I feel kinda stupid walking around like I have no clue. My insides warm up whenever I take in your scent, whether it be from a distance or close to me…it just throws me into some kind of daze and I get lost in it. Do you remember everything from Kaguya's Dream Castle when she tried changing me into a full demon? Do you remember what you did? What I felt when we…ya know…I felt like I had gone to heaven. I swear to you, I never wanted that moment to end…but I knew it had to. That following night, I sat up thinking about it, not getting a bit of sleep…okay, this is sounding really corny. Ah well, I'm on a roll here, so I'll just keep going. I think the first time I realized how I really felt about you was when I thought you had died in that fight with the Thunder Brothers. But then…Kikyo was resurrected and my heart was torn in two. I know you've seen me with her. Hell I've SEEN you see me with her. When she kissed me, I didn't feel a thing but confusion, but when you kissed me, I knew what I was feeling. What I'm trying to say is…I love you, Kagome Higurashi. I'll understand if you don't feel the same way, I wouldn't blame you…but…please let's stay friends if you don't feel that way, okay? I've been wanting to tell you this…tell you that I'll stay a half-demon and Kikyo can rot in hell ALONE for all I care. When Kaguya stole my soul, I fell from the light. And as I stumbled through the darkness, I began to lose hope… the hope that I would see you again…but then I heard you. I heard you calling out to me. You saved me, Kagome…in more ways than one. Once we have all the jewel shards, I swear I'll wish that you, Sango and Miroku all age the same way that Shippo, Kirara and I do so the six of us can live long and that the well can stay open so you can see your family and finish that "school" thing of yours…I know how important your family is to you, and those "exams" and even though I don't know what it is, it seems important to you, so I guess I'm okay with it, too. I hope you understand how I really feel. I love you, Kagome. I always will._

_With Love always,_

_Inuyasha_

_P.S. - you know when you made a wish on a shooting star? I did, and I wished that you loved me, too._

I stood there, reading and rereading those last few sentences…'I love you, Kagome…' 'I wished that you loved me, too…' My heart was so full of guilt from kissing Hojo that I wanted to break down and cry. I folded up the note, sticking it safely in my drawer. I walked out of the house, not even bothering to change, and made my way to the shrine. Sliding the doors aside, I daintily stepped up to the well, letting myself fall in, feeling the sensation of traveling five hundred years into the past overwhelm me.

"Inuyasha…" I whispered as I found myself in the Feudal Era…where my hanyou was.

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Ooooh! Suspense! What's going to happen? Will Inuyasha take Kagome back? What will Inuyasha say? What will Kagome say? Why am I asking you all these questions? See ya later!


	12. Sweetest Goodbye

Okay…prepare for…ANOTHER SONG FIC! This one is Maroon 5's "Sweetest Goodbye" because Inuyasha thinks that this is his final goodbye to Kagome, given the events from chapter 10. Here ya go!

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(Inuyasha's POV)

I climbed out of the Bone Eater's Well with great difficulty. Normally, I could have scaled the thing in one leap, but I was finding it hard to produce and will to do anything at the moment. I wanted what I couldn't have…what I didn't deserve…I long to hold Kagome in my arms, to have her here with me, but it's just a dream teasing me with what isn't mine…with what is too pure to be mine…with what I didn't deserve…

_Where you are seems to be_

_As far as an eternity_

_Outstretched arms, open hearts_

_And if it never ends then when do we start?_

I continue walking, going nowhere in particular, as long as I can run away from my pain…the pain that is bittersweet; I want her to be here but I know I couldn't manage to look her in the eye; the pain of not seeing that sparkle in her eye that she used to hold just for me but is now for that other creep of a mortal would be unbearable.

_I'll never leave you behind_

_Or treat you unkind_

_I know you understand_

I could never hate her, never be angry with her for kissing Hojo or choosing him…not after the hell I dragged her through with her seeing Kikyo and I together. I look at Goshinboku as I pass, stopping to look at the great tree. Usually I found peace and solace within that tree, but all I see is a painful reminder of Kagome.

_And with a tear in my eye_

_Give me the sweetest goodbye_

_That I ever did receive_

I can actually feel my heart breaking as I sink to my knees…I can't run from the pain anymore…it hits me full force…the pain…so overwhelming…the tears flow from my amber orbs as the memory of Kagome in someone's arms other than mine burned in my mind. The way they…it hurts to even say it…say what I've been fearing since I realized how much I really love her.

_Pushing forward and arching back_

_Bring me closer to heart attack_

_Say goodbye and just fly away_

_When you come back I have something to say_

I try standing but there's just no will inside me to do anything, so I fall back on my knees as my sobs echo through the clearing. I can't stop loving her…I could never…and I could never move on to love another…ever.

_How does it feel to know you'll never have to be alone_

_When you get home_

_There must be someplace here that only you and I could go_

_Then I could show you how I…_

But…maybe there's something that I'm missing…I mean, maybe she only went with that guy because it was like Sango said; she thought I didn't like her…and I don't…I LOVE her…but I'm not getting my hopes up. I am, after all…a lowly hanyou undeserving of anyone's love or affection. That's just what destiny threw at me. What more could I do?

_Dream away everyday_

_Try so hard to disregard_

_The rhythm of the rain that drops_

_And coincides with the beating of my heart_

Did she get my note? I can't help but wonder what her reaction was…did she really take it seriously? Did she laugh in disgust at it? Does she even care or notice the note lying on her pillow? Did she even read it at ALL? All these questions pose no answers as I lean against Goshinboku and let the rain blend with my tears to pull me into a light and empty rest.

_I'll never leave you behind_

_Or treat you unkind_

_And with a in my eye_

_Give me the sweetest goodbye_

_That I ever did receive_

I quietly wonder if this is truly our final goodbye. If it is…I don't know how I will cope with losing her so suddenly…don't know how I could live without her…but…what if it isn't the last goodbye?

"Please Kagome…don't…don't leave me…please find me…" I whisper into the storm as the rain relentlessly pours on me. I gingerly touch the enchanted beads, another reminder of Kagome, thinking that I'd put up with any amount of sits if Kagome would come back. I let go of the beads as I watch the rain fall around me. How could I have just let her go like that? I didn't even get to tell her how I felt, not myself. I left a note, sure, but I know it would mean more coming from me directly, then maybe she'd take me seriously if she had doubts.

_Pushing forward and arching back_

_Bring me closer to heart attack_

_Say goodbye and just fly away_

_When you come back _

_I have something to say_

Doubt begins to cloud my mind. What if she really isn't coming this time? What if she sealed the well forever? But…she always comes back!

She always comes back…

…always…

"Kagome…please come…" I don't ever think I've ever said please so many times in my whole life…but at this point, I'll say anything if it means Kagome will come back to me.

_How does it feel to know you'll never have to be alone_

_When you get home_

_There must be someplace here that only you and I could go_

_So I can show you how I feel._

I silently cry out the last of my tears…the last of my hope…Kagome wasn't coming back…Kagome wasn't coming back…I stood with unsurpassed difficulty and slowly began heading back to the village, dry sobs racking my entire body. There just aren't enough tears inside me to cry out for her, so I let the rain do the crying for me. I stop and turn my head to look at the well one last time before walking back down the path to the village. I faintly whisper her name, wishing with all my heart for her to come back. I slow my pace to an eventual stop as I bow my head low, the rain dripping off of m hair. My ears press against my skull from drooping so low. I've never been this sad. I probably never will be again. Everything reminds me of her, no matter what way I look at it, it's her. I continue walking to the village. Everyone's waiting for Kagome…most likely want an explanation. I don't know what I'll tell them, or if I'll tell them anything at all. I really don't know, and I really don't want to have to explain how-

"Inuyasha!" Any thoughts I had were cut short. I hesitated to turn around, fearing that I would turn around only to have my heart broken again when she wasn't there, but I gathered my broken courage and turned around in time to see her running to me…mere feet away from me.

"Kagome…?" I whispered as I took a single step to her. Her run slowed to a walk as she was a foot away. The rain had drenched her, but it didn't wash a single bit of her beauty away, her dress glittering in the rain, her hair wet and matted down to her neck, free of the bun she had it tied in.

"Inuyasha…"

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BWAHAHAHAHAHA! I love making people wait…it's so fun! I already have the whole story in a notebook put up in a safe place. R & R!


	13. She will be Loved

Okay…I'm not sure if I should make this the last chapter or not, I'll leave you guys up to that one, so tell me if you think that this is a good ending or not in your reviews. This chapter is a song fic to Maroon 5's "She will be Loved" I know I already used a Maroon 5 song in a chapter before, but the song's fitting, I mean, come on! Here ya go!

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(Inuyasha's POV)

I heard her call out my name, and all I could wonder was what was she doing here when she could be with that other guy…unless…

_Beauty queen of only eighteen_

_She had some trouble with herself_

_He was always there to help her_

_She always belonged to someone else_

My thoughts were cut off as I saw her approach in the distance, still wearing that beautiful dress that seemed to show her every curve. I stepped toward her, but stopped myself. She was taken, and there just wasn't any room for me anymore. That one cold hard fact stung in my heart as she drew nearer. I shut my eyes and bowed my head, waiting for her to tell me goodbye, waited for her rejection and my heartbreak…but it never came…the next thing I know she's standing right before me…softly panting from running.

"Inuyasha…look at me…please…" I slowly lift my head and instantly get lost in her bright hazel orbs…the doorways to her soul…

"Inuyasha…" She whispers as she hugs me tightly, clutching the chest of my haori as she buried her face in it. I feel like I'm somewhat whole but completely empty; just having her there was enough to make me want to take her and make her mine, but at the same time, I thought that this was a goodbye hug…I really hoped that it wasn't…I really did…

(Kagome's POV)

_I drove for miles and miles_

_And wound up at your door_

_I've had you so many times_

_But somehow I want more_

I'm clinging to him like he's my lifeline, that if I let go I also let go of my very life. Suddenly he whispers in a weak voice,

"Why?" I lift my head and gaze into his tearful amber orbs, hardly noticing the rain lightening up to an eventual stop around us.

"What do you mean 'why'?" He averted his eyes from mine as another teardrop fell down his face.

"Why did you do it?" I can't answer...my throat closes as I see the pain in his eyes…the pain that I caused him. He tightly wraps his arms around me for an instant, but just as I feel the warmth of his body, he places his hands on my shoulders and pushes me back enough to look me in the eye.

"Don't you see it! Don't you understand yet! Didn't that kiss…not yours and hobo's…but OUR kiss…didn't that mean ANYTHING to you?" He searches my eyes desperately, pain reflecting off of each golden iris…pain was something that he had more than his fair share of, and I wasn't helping to ease it at all.

"Inuyasha…it means the world to me…but I only kissed Hojo because…" He leans his head in slightly, silently urging me to continue.

"…because I thought…you were going with Kikyo and everything…" I look down at my closed hand, opening it to reveal his note.

"…but then I read your note…"

_I don't mind spending every day_

_Out on your corner in the pouring rain_

_Look for the girl with the broken smile_

_Ask her if she wants to stay a while…_

(Inuyasha's POV)

I stare at the folded piece of parchment cradled in her hand, utterly amazed. She had read it…she actually read it after all that I had put her through…after Hojo kissed her…she still read it.

_And she will be loved._

_And she will be loved._

"You…you read it…" She nods, taking a shaky breath to continue.

"If I would have known…that you feel that way, I would have never even left here to go to Homecoming." The desire to hold her in my arms is increasing by the second as my heart mends itself at her words…but…does that mean…?

_Tap on my window knock on my door_

_I want to make you feel beautiful_

_I know I tend to get so insecure_

_It doesn't matter anymore_

"I'm sorry that I…that I hurt you…it's the last thing that I would ever want to do…this is all my fault…I'm so sorry…"

_It's not always rainbows and butterflies_

_It's compromise that moves us along_

_My heart is full and my door's always open_

_You can come any time you want_

She's too much to resist now as I give into my temptation and pull her into my arms, feeling her tears seep through my haori and drench my undershirt, my tears falling down onto her hair. I raise a clawed hand and comb it through her soft, miraculously dry hair.

"Shh…there's nothing to be sorry for…especially not with what I have to make up for…make up for to you…" Her sobs only increase as she presses herself closer to me. I know that there has to be a way to console her. A sudden thought pops into my head as I remember a part of a song that was from her time. I lean down and begin to nuzzle her neck, moving her hair away from her ear. I feel her shiver as I whisper into her ear,

"_I don't mind spending every day_

_Out on your corner in the pouring rain_

_Look for the girl with the broken smile_

_Ask her if she wants to stay a while…"_

(Kagome's POV)

Shivers crawl all along my spine at the sound of his deep voice gently singing to me. It was one of my favorite songs from an American band called "Maroon 5" that I had listened to all the time…how did he know that? He must have listened to me play it enough to remember parts of it. I smile into his chest, not being able to think of a sweeter thing that he could do for me…just for me. I lift my head and gaze into his eyes, him doing the same as we both sing the last two parts of the chorus.

"_And she will be loved_

_And she will be loved"_

He stops and gazes at me, our faces so close…I can feel his breath tickling my nose, his forehead resting on mine.

"Ashiteru, Kagome...koi." He whispers as he brings me a little closer, if that was at all possible. I smile as our faces grow a little closer.

"Ashiteru Inuyasha…always…" He and I continue to sway to the music that only he and I can hear, the music that plays in our heads…in our hearts.

_I know where you hide_

_Alone in your car_

_Know all of the things _

_That make you who you are_

I feel his hand continue to comb through my hair, twirling my ebony locks slowly through his fingers. I know what's coming, and even though it's happened to us before, I feel butterflies floating in my stomach.

_I know that goodbye means nothing at all_

_Comes back and begs me to catch her every time she falls_

We're so close…he leans his head more to mine, and I can see the worry in his eyes. I can see what he's thinking- what if I reject him? What if this is all a joke? A dream? What if I don't really mean what I said? So many what ifs as he hesitates. I smile warmly, my eyes half lid, another signal that I don't plan on pushing him away. He smiles, too as he leans a little more…

(Inuyasha's POV)

I see her smile, and every worry…every doubt…it all just fades away into nothingness as I lean in a little closer, feeling the warmth of her body despite the cold left from the rain.

_Tap on my window knock on my door_

_I want to make you feel beautiful_

I shut my half lid eyes as I press my lips gently to hers, feeling her kiss me back. The hand that was stroking her hair slides up to cradle her head, bringing her deeper into the kiss while my other arm that is draped around her waist pulls her body closer to mine. I feel her coil her arms around my neck as she pulls me even deeper into the kiss. I moan into her mouth as I turn my head slightly to deepen the kiss further.

_I don't mind spending everyday_

_Out on your corner in the pouring rain_

_Look for the girl with the broken smile_

_Ask her if she wants to stay a while_

I can feel our heartbeats merge into one steady beat, as if her heart and mine have now become one. The rest of the world seems distant, as though Kagome and I were the only ones existing. It's like I can feel her delving into my soul, but this time instead of shutting the feeling out, I welcome the sensation of being wanted, being loved. She leans closer to me as we let the kiss soften a bit to a much softer kiss, and I just can't quite describe this feeling. Right before we kissed, I thought it was going to be just like in Kaguya's Castle, but from the moment our lips connected, I felt a passion that I never knew I had in me. All I could focus my mind on was her, all I could feel…see…hear…was her.

(Kagome's POV)

I can feel him bringing me closer, he moans softly in my mouth as he does. I feel like he's the same soul as me…like we're connected somehow…but I can't put my finger exactly on the feeling. All logic has left me…all I think about is what he said in the note, what he said just now, and this very kiss. I lose myself in his arms, and I suddenly feel weak…my legs are so shaky…he must have sensed this because his arm that's wrapped around my waist tightens to support me as we continue the kiss, hoping that it would never end.

_And she will be loved_

_And she will be loved_

(Inuyasha's POV)

The need for air broke the kiss, but my hold on her only tightened. She leans her head on my shoulder as she shuts her eyes, her hair brushing over her angelic face. I raise a hand and gently tuck the loose hair behind her ear, whispering her name. She doesn't react, and her steady breathing indicates that she's fallen asleep. I smile as I pick her up bridal style and head to Kaede's village, which wasn't far from the clearing she and I were in. Trees and shrubs fly past me as I tuck the shrine maiden into my arms closer to keep her warm. Kaede's hut appears in the distance, so I quicken my pace until I come to a complete stop in front of the bamboo curtain that she used a door. Pulling it back with my elbow, I quietly walk in and gently set Kagome down on the futon on the floor. I take my haori off, wrapping it around her to serve as a makeshift blanket. My eyes sweep over to a tiny scrap of parchment.

_Inuyasha, Kagome and Kaede,_

_Miroku, Shippo and I went to the village of the demon slayers. Be back in a few days. Took Kirara with us._

_Sango._

I shrug as I flick the parchment aside. I walk over to Kagome, quietly lying down beside her. I drape an arm over her, bringing her closer protectively. She smiles in her sleep and nestles into the chest of my undershirt. I smile into her hair, giving her a small kiss on the top of her head as I let her scent begin to ease me into sleep. I hear a tiny clink on the floor above her head, so I open my eyes and look to find the locket that she had given me lying right beside my chest. I smile sleepily as I shut my eyes once more, falling into a deep and content slumber. I don't think the smile ever left my lips as I played the memory of our kiss over and over again in my mind.

You know, I could tell her that I love her until the day I die, and she still won't know just how much she means to me.

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sniff that had to be the fluffiest chapter that I have ever written in a story before. Tell me if you think that should be the ending or not. R & R peeps!


	14. Inu pops the question

Okay, you readers win. I'm continuing His Light, but only two more chapters 'cause I know that after a while the same story gets a little boring. So, two chappies, then on to the next Inu fic, oh and just a warning…there's been a storm by us, so I haven't been online, and with nothing to do…I kept writing…and writing…and writing, so this'll be a really long chappie, k? (no…seriously…it's REALLY long)

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Kagome opened one eye to see nothing but white. At first she was a little confused, but once her groggy mind cleared she remembered that she had fallen asleep right after she and Inuyasha had kissed (rather heatedly, she thought to herself). She looked up to find that Inuyasha had awoken as well, his amber eyes watching her closely.

"Kagome, it's still night, the moon hasn't even waned. Go back to sleep." He whispered, so as not to wake Kaede in the next room. Kagome nodded and fell back asleep into his chest. Inuyasha however, remained awake, resting his nose into her hair, his eyes a quarter of the way open. He ran his fingers through her ebony locks, twirling her soft hair between his fingers. He couldn't believe that in just the course of one week, the most painful and yet beautiful week in his entire life, he had gone from being Kagome's secret admirer ("secret?" who's he kidding?) to being Kagome's hanyou. He smiled at that thought. He was Kagome's and Kagome was his. No one was ever going to change that. He began to let her scent pull him back to sleep, but couldn't resist the urge to carefully lift her head and kiss her lips chastely once last time before letting her head fall back down gently into his chest. With that, the two were fast asleep in each other's arms throughout the rest of the night.

The beams of early dawn spilling into the window were what woke Kagome up so early. She squinted against the intensity, wondering how Inuyasha could sleep through _this_. She slid out carefully from underneath his arm and pulled the tattered cloth over the window. She made her way to her backpack, which she had left here before leaving earlier and began rummaging around for another change of clothes. Granted, she felt truly beautiful in the dress she was wearing, but she's been in more comfortable clothing. After finding a pair of light blue boot cut low-rise jeans and a tight black t-shirt with cap sleeves, she tiptoed into the corner to change, careful not to wake the sleeping hanyou. After changing and grabbing a pair of sneakers to replace her heels, she lay beside Inuyasha again, who seemed to be frowning slightly, mumbling in his sleep. She scooted closer to him, only to let out a small gasp as his arm automatically slung around her waist, pulling her closely to himself. She smiled and resisted the urge to giggle as Inuyasha's frown melted away to a look of peace and serenity.

"G'morning…wondered where you'd got to…" Inuyasha yawned as his opened one eye. Kagome pulled his haori tighter around her mostly bare arms to keep her warm, nodding as her smile warmed even more. Inuyasha definitely was NOT a morning person…especially when someone woke him from a deep sleep…sigh let the sit-a-thon begin, Kagome thought to herself. Much to her surprise, he simply grinned as his hold on her tightened.

"Did we stay like this the whole night?" She asked curiously as she handed him his haori back. He yawned again and nodded, rubbing his eye.

"Wondered when you'd ask that." He put his fire rat cloth back on, twitching his ears a few times to fully wake his senses.

"Where are the others?"

"At the village of the demon slayers…thank the gods. If they came in the middle of the night, they'd never stop laughing at us."

"True…and I could just see how badly Shippo would bug you about it, which would just end up with me saying sit…oops!" She had completely forgotten herself, which resulted in Inuyasha slamming face first into the floor. He struggled to get up, grumbling under his breath.

"Gomen, Inuyasha…I didn't mean to say sit-oh no!" Poor Inuyasha was slammed into the hard wood floor again, this time making a dent in the wood. He lifted his head as much as the spell would allow at the moment and glared at her when she tried stifling a laugh. He sat up and continued to glare at her, even through her apologies.

"Do you want some ramen, Inuyasha?" She offered in order to make up for her mistake (no matter how fregin' hilarious it was n.n). His eyes glittered brightly at the mention of his favorite food, his ears pricking up as he nodded his head eagerly. Kagome giggled, reaching up and gently rubbing one of his puppy dog ears. For a few seconds he forgot himself, letting a low growl emerge from deep inside his chest as he shut his eyes. Hearing Kagome stifle another laugh, he twitched his ear, causing her to let it go as he shook his head violently like a wet dog, his hair twisting and swishing left and right with each jerk of his head. Kagome laughed as she left to make some ramen.

Peeking out the doorway to make sure that Kagome was out of earshot, Inuyasha fumbled around in his haori, pulling out a beautiful gold ring with a heart shaped diamond on it. He had asked Totosai to weld one for Kagome a while ago, but never got up the courage to say anything. He stood and carefully paced the room, thinking on how he was going to say this right…without scaring Kagome or rushing the question.

"Oh, man…how am I gonna ask her?" He paused, shooting a worried look past the cloth serving as a door, but then seeing as how the coast was still clear, continued pacing.

"Hey, Kagome…are you interested in being my…nah, too plain. Hey Kagome…be my wife…my mate? Too straight-forward. My dearest Ka-oh come on! This is starting to sound lame even to _me!_" He huffed as he continued pacing.

"This is too confusing…but wait…I'm jumping ahead of myself, here. I have to- CRAP!" He tucked the ring back into his haori as he saw Kagome coming his way. He shouted "CRAP!" for two reasons- One, Kagome wasn't supposed to know about this until he asked her and two…

He couldn't even ask _her_ until he'd gotten permission from both her mother and…he couldn't help but groan inwardly...he'd have to ask _Sesshomaru_.

That settled it. He was officially _screwed_.

You see, if Inuyasha was simply marrying Kagome, he wouldn't have to confront his half-brother at all, but on the subject of mating…it was the code of the demons that you needed the consent of at least one member of each person's closest family.

And…Sesshomaru's the only family Inuyasha's GOT.

He sighed, wondering how in the hells he was going to get past Kagome to ask her mother's permission AND ask Sesshomaru without getting into a fight to the death over it. Kagome walked in, two steaming bowls of chicken ramen (A/N: That is the stuff, yo n.n) and chopsticks in her hands. No sooner had she handed him one of the bowls and a pair of chopsticks, he began to slurp the noodles down like he wouldn't ever live to eat another bowl again. Kagome stifled a laugh as Inuyasha looked at her innocently, a huge mouthful of noodles still streaming into the bowl from his mouth, his eyes wide. She couldn't help but think of Shippo.

"Whuh's a ma'er 'gagome?" He mumbled through a mouthful of noodles. She giggled as she slurped a few noodles into her mouth and waited until she swallowed to answer.

"Don't talk with your mouth full, Inu." She grinned as his ears twitched at being called "Inu" but didn't talk with his mouth full for the rest of the meal. Once he'd slurped down the broth, he wiped his mouth, standing as he head for the doorway.

"Stay here, I'll be back." She stood up, taking a step back.

"Where are you going, Inuyasha?" He grinned as he walked back over to her, placing his hand under her chin and lifting it to look into her eyes.

"I'll be back by sunset, and if I'm not, I'll make it up to you. I promise, okay?" He kissed her softly, then turned around, leaving out the doorway and breaking into a sprint. Kagome pulled the bamboo curtain aside and watched him until he was out of sight. She smiled warmly.

"He promised, so I trust him." She said went back into the hut to help Kaede with any chores that she might have.

(Inuyasha's POV)

I pushed my demonic speed to the limit as I followed Sesshomaru's scent fading off into the south. Why he was going there was beyond me, perhaps visiting our father's grave…though I don't really know if he does that sort of thing. Quite frankly, I don't give a damn, either. His scent began to grow stronger, so I somehow managed to will my legs into going faster. As unbearable as his foul scent was, I continued through the forest, pacing myself to a jog. I slow down to a walk as I hear three distinct voices in the trees just ahead of me.

"Lord Sesshomaru, why the sudden stop…is there something wrong?" I recognized that as the voice of that little girl that was always by his side, Rin. I step closer and see my half-brother in the center of a circle of trees and the girl, perched on the two headed dragon demon, along with Jaken, the tiny hunched over green demon that wields the Staff of Two Heads. Sesshomaru turned as I revealed myself behind him.

"You have some nerve to show yourself to me, brother." His cold voice made my ears hurt, one of the many reasons why I couldn't stand him. I fought down the urge to draw out Tetsusaiga and just hack him into pieces right then and there, knowing that starting a sword fight wasn't going to get me his consent…

then again…how _was_ I going to get his consent?

"What is it that you want, Inuyasha? Have you come to fight to your death this time?"

"Don't make me laugh…how can I ask you if you're dead?" He narrowed his eyes, raising a brow in confusion.

"Ask…me…"

"You know the code of the demons just as well as I do. Do I have your consent?" Confusion melted away from his face, only to be replaced by sheer and utter disgust blazing intensely in his eyes. Jaken and Rin were now looking from Sesshomaru to me, and then back at Sesshomaru. Jaken understood what I was asking, for him being a demon and all, but it appears that my half-brother didn't inform little Rin about the demon code at all. My eyes never leave my half-brother, knowing full well that if I did it could cost me my life. As much as I despise him, there's no doubting that he's fully capable of fighting.

"No."

"WHAT!" My anger pulsed through my body, boiling my blood as my eyes flashed red with fury.

"You have diluted our father's blood enough as it is. If it were a demon I would consider-"

"LIKE YOU HAVE ANY ROOM TO TALK! MARKING THAT GIRL OVER THERE!" I pointed to Rin, who had been oddly quiet this whole time. Sesshomaru's eyes widened in shock. Even though I knew that he hadn't actually courted her because she was much too young for a human body to handle such things, I could still pick up enough of his scent to realize that she had his specific mark on her neck, though what it was for certain I don't know.

"THAT'S RIGHT, I CAN PICK UP YOUR SCENT ON HER! IF YOU'RE SO WORRIED ABOUT 'DILUTING OUR FATHER'S BLOOD,' YOU WOULD HAVE SIMPLY MARKED A **DEMON**!" My eyes burn red at the very thought that he would even DARE to stand in the way of me being with my Kagome after all we'd been through, she and I. He had no right! He steps back slightly, shock written all over his face. That facial expression is one that I can never remember Sesshomaru having as long as I have known him. His face calms as he gives a "Feh," his usual demeanor returning. A small, bitter smile crosses his face, so tiny that I had to strain to see it even with my demonic eyes.

"Well said brother…well said indeed. Very well, you have my consent." He turns and begins walking away without another word, the two headed dragon carrying Rin following closely behind, Jaken bringing up the rear. I can only stare in shock at what he just said…and what _I_ just said…I mean, sure I've insulted my brother, mocked my brother…but I had _never_ pushed that sort of angle of insult before. I guess that anger…that raging fire that burned with every word that he'd said about diluting our father's blood just made me snap even more than I normally do. I shrug, making my way to the well.

"Only one more thing to do now…" I sigh as I break into a run.

The forest flies past me in a swirl of multiple shades of green, the very ground I was running on simply a dusty blur to me. I couldn't take the direct route through Kaede's village to the well, or else Kagome would get suspicious as to why I was leaving so soon again. I promised that I'd make it up to her if I wasn't back before sunset, didn't I? I continued instead in the same general direction of Kaede's village, but stayed in the forest thicket. But…how in the hells was I going to ask her mother? I couldn't just walk up to Kagome's mother and say "Hey, I'm madly in love with your daughter, so I'm just going to mark her as mine, okay?" and expect her to be okay with it; it just doesn't work like that! My thoughts were cut off as I burst through the clearing that led to the well. Grinning, I walked up to the well, running a hand over the lip. The memory of always dragging Kagome through it made my grin widen. I stepped on the lip of the well and jumped in, feeling that floating sensation pulse through me as I fly five hundred years into the future. I looked up to see the roof of the shrine. Jumping out and opening the doors hastily, I make my way to the Higurashi home. Just as I'm about to open the door, someone beats me to it. The next thing I know, Sota's clinging to my right leg like he'd fall to his death if he let go.

"Inuyasha, what's up?"

"The sky…and anyway, where's your mother? I need to ask her something important." Kagome's little sibling looks at me curiously, but then nods and leads me into the house.

"Ma…Inuyasha wants to ask you something!" He calls out at the top of his lungs. Gee…this kid has less modesty than _me_. Ms. Higurashi walks through the doorway, smiling at me with one of her cheerful greetings.

"Hello there, what is it that you wanted to ask?" She said politely. I gulp as I scratch the back of my neck. Kagome's mother notices that I'm nervous and shoos Sota to his room. She turns back to me as I take in a deep breath…well…here goes…

"Well…I've known Kagome for a while now…and…umm…I was wondering if…if I have your consent to ask her to be…to be…my wife…and my…uhh…mate…" I gulp again as I wait with baited breath for her response.

"Why do you want to marry her?" I wanted to roll my eyes and say some smart-ass comment, but I refrained myself, knowing that if I messed this up, Kagome couldn't really be my mate OR my wife.

"Because…because I love her…more than anything." Kagome's mother smiled warmly.

"I just wanted to hear you say that." But then she pauses for a moment, a look of confusion spreading across her face.

"And what exactly…is a mate?"

At that point, I wanted to laugh at her.

"Well…a mate is…well…mating is like a demonic marriage, only instead of having a wedding, as mortals do, demons simply mark the person they desire to have as a mate. But they can't permanently make the mark unless the male has both the consent from the closest family of each side, and of the female that he wishes to be his mate."

"Do you have to…to…well ah…what is this "mark" exactly?"

"A mark is different for each demon or half-demon. It's always a bite mark on the neck, but the symbol that you write in between the teeth marks is what's unique about each specific mark." She understood, smiling again and nodding slightly.

"You have my consent, as long as you take good care of my baby girl."

"Yes ma'am!" I stand a little straighter, grinning like a fool. That was it…I had consent from family of both sides, now all I had to do was ask Kagome…

Which brings us back to how in seven hells I'm gonna ask her…and I'm absolutely clueless.

Well…it's only midday, so I've got time. I'll just hang around the well and plan out how I'm going to ask her 'till I think I'm ready. But I'll have to ask her tonight; tomorrow begins mating season for demons…and while I have no intention of actually _courting_ her during the whole week of mating season, I figure it'll help if she's my mate by then, seeing as how if she's not it'll only make it that much harder for me when my…"natural instincts" kick in…if she says yes…

It's pitch black by the time that I leap out of the well, making my way back to Kaede's. I sigh inwardly, knowing that Kagome's most likely worried sick about me…a little angry as well…okay chances are that she's more angry than worried, but I promised that I'd make it up to her!

Her scent fills my nostrils as I walk into the hut. She's there, curled under that "sleeping bag" thing, but she looks restless compared to everyone else, who must have come back while I was away. I tiptoe over to her side, knowing full well that she'll fregin' _kill_ me when I wake her up. I lean my head down close to hers, by breath caressing her face, waving her bangs slightly. She shifts in her sleep but does not stir. I stick my tongue out part of the way and lick her cheek lightly like a pup begging for attention. She opens her eyes groggily, turning to me. Her eyes widen as she realizes that I'm there.

"Inuyasha! You're back!" She throws her arms around my neck and squeezes me tightly. I can feel the air circulation being cut off by her arms as my face beings turning pink from lack of air.

"Okay! Okay! Okay! We established that I'm back! Lemme go already! Sheesh!" I place my hands on her hips and push her slightly away. She giggles and then says.

"You said you'd be back by sunset…I was just really worried, that's all." Guilt sweeps over me as I realize just how much I really made her worry.

"I'm sorry…I was just…thinking about something. That's all." She nods and turns away, about to head back to her sleeping bag, but my hold on her hips never lessens. She turns her head back to me in confusion.

"Inu…yasha…?" She whispers. I take her in closer, pressing her back to my chest, my arms wrapping around her middle.

"You too tired for a walk? There's something that…that I want to ask you." She looks down and to the left at my elbow, but then smiles.

"Let's go, not like I'm actually going to get back to sleep so quickly, anyway." I lead her out the door and into the night, relaying what I had planned on saying over and over so I don't screw it up…

…but with my luck, I will anyway.

(Kagome's POV)

I walk beside him in the darkness, wondering what it was that he had to ask me. I suddenly feel his hand slip over mine, giving it a gentle squeeze. He looks at me, as if asking if it was alright that he did this. I smile as my fingers wrap around the inside of his palm. He smiles back as his fingers wrap around almost my whole hand. We both look away as we blush slightly, but my eyes return to our intertwined hands. My smile warms even more as his grip on my hand tightens. We walk through the forest path to Goshinboku in silence, enjoying the scenery and just being around each other. As the great tree comes into view, I sense Inuyasha tense up a little as he slows his pace slightly. I look up at his face, but he's staring straight ahead of him, almost as if he were completely wrapped up in his thoughts.

We come to a sudden stop right in front of the Sacred Tree as Inuyasha pulls me in front of him, taking my free hand and interlocking it with his other hand. He looks into my eyes deeply for a moment, not saying anything. I search his amber orbs, finding nothing but love and…was that…longing…?

(Inuyasha's POV)

I just let myself sink to the bottom of those beautiful hazel irises, drowning in their warmth, amazed at their shimmer in the pale moonlight. I take a deep breath, trying to gather the words that I wanted so desperately to say to this wonderful girl in front of me…but try as I might, the words simply slip through my grasp like smoke. I open my mouth, but it's like someone's stolen my voice and ran off with it. My mouth closes again as I inhale her scent, somehow finding the courage to speak through the rosy vanilla aura.

"Kagome…I…I know that we only just admitted our feelings to each other…but the truth is…I've been wanting to ask you this for the longest time…" I watch her bright, shimmering eyes widen with each word that came off of my tongue.

"You already know that I truly love you…and…try as I might…I can't find a good enough way to show you just how much I do, and the only thing that can come even remotely close is by…by asking you…" I let go of her hands as I pulled the ring out of my haori, its heart diamond glistening in the moonlight. I hear her give a small gasp as I take her left hand and slip the ring onto her index finger.

"…asking you to be my wife…my mate…will you… Kagome Higurashi?" I search her wide, tearful eyes as she does the same. Her lips curve into a warm smile as she buries her head into my chest. I can faintly hear her whisper the two words that I've longed for her to say to me…

"I do."

I tightly embrace her, letting a smile play across my face. I lean down and nuzzle her hair, exposing the back of her neck. I open my mouth and gently place my front two fangs on the skin. My fangs sink into her neck, but only enough to puncture the skin. I hear her give a tiny gasp but she doesn't object. I lick the tiny drops of blood away as I raise a single clawed finger to rest in between the fang marks. I lightly etch my name in kanji in the space between the bite marks, then prick my own finger with my claw, letting the blood seal the kanji symbol to officially make her my mate.

"I'm sorry…did I hurt you?" I feel her shake her head in my chest as I pull her closer into my arms. Now comes the hard part…

…telling her it was mating season and not making it sound perverted.

"Uhh…Kagome…about this mating thing…" She looks up into my eyes.

"What about it, Inuyasha?" I take a deep breath.

"Well…ah…ya see…mating season starts tomorrow…" Her eyes widen.

"Oh…" Her face begins to tint green, so I quickly add.

"I'm not saying we have to-! I'm just saying that I'll be…acting much more…open…about my feelings towards you, that's all." Her skin returns to its normal color as she smiles.

"Oh…okay then!"

Now the only question is…does she know exactly how open I'll be?

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Warning: get ready to laugh hysterically at the next chapter…it'll be pretty long because it'll chronicle the WHOLE WEEK of mating season! I don't really know how long it is, but I'm just guessing. Stick around!


	15. Mating Season, Inuyasha style!

Now…I present to you the week of mating season, Inuyasha style! But I'm warning you, Inuyasha will be waaaaaay the hell outta character because…well…it's mating season! Prepare for funniness! (Warning: this chapter is really long…I mean REALLY long!)

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"Hey…Inuyasha?"

"Hm?"

"Is it okay if I leave for one day? I should be back by midday tomorrow." She looked up at him, and despite the darkness of night, she could still see the horrified look on his face, his bright amber eyes wide with shock, glistening in the moonlight, his mouth agape, his jaw finding itself a comfortable spot on the grass.

"Midday…and you're sure it'll take that long?" She giggled as he stared at her frantically, knowing that he'll be absolutely _tortured_ during mating season if she's not by him. Reaching up and stroking his ears, she compromised,

"Tell you what, if I'm not back here by midday's end, you can come and get me, okay?" The feeling of her soft, delicate hands caressing his ears calmed him enough to pry his jaw from the dirt floor and hinge it back into its proper place, but horror was still evident in his amber irises. She stopped stroking his ears as she let her hand fall back to his chest. He thought about it…thought about how he will be acting for the next week, how long he'd be able to manage without her here, and then reluctantly came to the difficult conclusion that love is partially about sacrifice, after all, and so he could wait half a day.

"Well…alright…as long as you promise to hurry back as soon as possible!" He added desperately, hugging her close. She smiled at the hanyou, kissing him goodbye. He brought his arms closer around his beloved miko and quickly melted into the kiss, but just as he was about to deepen it more, she pulled away.

"I have to go now, but it's like I said: if I don't come back, come get me." She smiled at his sad puppy dog face as his ears drooped. He nuzzled her neck, letting out a low whimper like a puppy begging to go with you when you leave the house.

"Stay a little while longer? Please?" She giggled again as he placed a few light kisses just below her ear, sending shivers crawling up and down her spine.

"Sorry, I really want to, but I need to get going." She regretfully pushed herself slowly, gently out of his embrace as she began to turn in the direction of the well. Poor Inuyasha could only let his hands slide slowly from her hips as she walked away, looking back at him longingly one last time before disappearing down the dark depths of the well.

"Well…tomorrow's gonna be a living hell…Sango, Miroku and Shippo won't make it much better with my luck." He sighed as he leapt up the great branches of Goshinboku, fingering the locket Kagome gave him.

"At least I still have this." And with that, he closed his eyes and let his thoughts about Kagome drag him into sleep.

(Next morning…dun dun dun)

Inuyasha woke up in a cold sweat as his hands frantically searched in the dark of the early morning for his mate. In his frenzy, he nearly fell out of the tree branch he was perched upon, fear overcoming him at the frightening fact that Kagome was nowhere in sight. Realizing that she had left yesterday night, he groaned, leading back against the tree.

"Dammit, she's not even gone a few hours and I already want her!" He pouted, crossing his arms as he slumping against Goshinboku. His pout quickly melted into a depressed and broken look. His uptight shoulders hunched in defeat as he uncrossed his arms to let them rest on his stomach, letting his back slump even lower against the tree.

"Kagome…" He whispered sadly…longingly. He could feel this intense longing and passion for his mate burning fiercely within him, clawing at him from deep inside, trying to surface through his cloaked emotions. What if something happened to her? Or what if the well closed, preventing them from seeing each other ever again? What if she's hurt, crouched in a dark place, laying in a pool of blood, calling out for him? These were all routine questions that always ran through his mind while she was gone, but they worried him even more than usual now that Kagome was officially his mate.

"Inuyasha!" His head snapped up so fast it might have fallen off his neck and plopped to the ground if it went any faster. He crouched in order to get a better view of the well, leaning over the side of the tree branch slightly.

"Kagome…Kagome where are…?" He whispered, but couldn't finish the thought, because he already knew that his mind was playing one of its evil little tricks, making him imagine that Sango's voice was Kagome's.

"We're back from Kaede's errands…hey…where's Kagome?" Miroku and Shippo asked as they hopped off of Kirara, Sango following suite. At the mention of the said miko's name, Inuyasha went into a sort of daze…almost as if someone was waving a watch in front of his face. Miroku snapped his fingers together a couple of times in between his eyes, causing him to blink and shake his head slightly.

"She said she needed to take care of something in her time." He answered quickly, diverting his gaze from everyone to stare at a random tree. Miroku nodded, but then noticed how very…_different_ Inuyasha had become since a few days ago. Everyone else seemed to notice as well, seeing as how they were all looking at him like he was Superman and had just woken up from that space ship he crashed to earth in.

"Inu…yasha? You okay? You're kinda…I dunno…twitchy…" Sango questioned as she noticed Inuyasha's hanyou ears twitching at an almost constant pace, as his bright golden eyes darting all over the place. _'He's really tense…really…strange. His sudden change of behavior reminds me of a bird.'_ Sango mused as she watched him twitch and fidget. He snorted as he crossed his arms, trying to act as normal as possible when his entire being ached for Kagome to be in his arms (that, and his ears twitching uncontrollably wasn't helping him much, either.)

"Kami are you people annoying! There's absolutely (twitch) nothing (twitch) wrong (twitch) with me (twitch). Why would you (twitch twitch) even think something (twitch) like that (twitch)?"

At this point, everyone was trying very…_very_ hard not to laugh.

"Is this not the beginning of mating season for demons?" Miroku asked Inuyasha suspiciously.

"Yeah (twitch)…why?" The hanyou asked, arching an eyebrow.

"I was simply wondering. Come Sango, Shippo. Let us leave Inuyasha in 'peace.'" Sango stifled a laugh at how sarcastically Miroku said 'peace,' knowing full well that Inuyasha was never at 'peace' unless he was with Kagome…and with it being mating season and all…things will get even more entertaining, she thought to herself as the group left the hanyou without another word.

"Will you damn ears quit twitching so fucking much!" He shot an evil glare at his ears, which only caused them to twitch again. Growling in frustration, he leapt up into Goshinboku again, his eyes never leaving the well.

Two hours later…

"She'll come back… (twitch)." The desire to go and get her was almost unbearable, the sensation of having…no, _needing_ her burning throughout his entire body as he stroked his claw deeply through the rough textured wood of the branch he was on. He entertained his other hand with fingering Kagome's locket just to keep himself somewhat busy. His legs ached to jump into the well, his foot twitching every now and then. He somehow managed to stay on the tree branch, but if someone who never knew him took one look at the hanyou perched up in the tree, they would think he was schizophrenic or something.

Another Hour later...

"Come on, Kagome! Midday's almost through for crying out loud!" His ears gave up on twitching for what seemed to the hanyou like hours ago (in reality it was only half an hour) and simply dropped as he moaned agonizingly. His hand was clawing so deep into the wood of the branch he'd almost…

_crack…_

"Huh…what the…?"

_craaaaaack…_

"Uh-oh…"

SPLIT!

**BAM!**

"$#&!"

…he'd _completely…_severed the branch off of the tree.

He peeled himself off the ground, grumbling foul curse words under his breath. He placed his hands underneath the fallen branch, heaving the branch into the trees spread all around the clearing, and then he walked back and sat on a _thicker_ branch. His eyes snapped back to the well just as a light blue aura glittered at the bottom of it. He sat up hopefully as Kagome began to climb out of the ancient time portal.

"Hey guys…I'm b-" Before her feet ever touched the ground, all she saw was a flash of red and white just before Inuyasha swept her off her feet (no…seriously) in a tight embrace, kissing her like he hadn't seen her in a hundred years.

"Inuyasha, I was only…mmmph!" He kissed her again, more fiercely as his arms tightened around her slender waist. She relaxed and began kissing him back with equal force, figuring that if this was what was going to happen every day for the next week, then hey…that was perfectly fine by her!

"Kagome…" He whispered lightly on her lips as they connected once more. Parting, he brought his arms even tighter around her waist…so tight that Kagome actually felt her face turn purple. He buried his face in the crook of her neck.

"Inu…yasha…" She whispered hoarsely in between short gasps for air.

"I missed you so much! Where in seven hells were you that took so long?" He whispered into her neck, hugging her tighter, if that was at all possible. He looked at her curiously when there came no response.

"What's wrong, Kagome?"

"…Can't…breathe…" She felt her entire body go all tingly and numb. It finally occurred to him that his arms were just a little too tightly wrapped around her tiny waist.

"Oops! Sorry!" He loosened his arms just enough for her to be able to breathe again. She let out a sigh as her face gradually returned to its normal shade of ivory.

"I had to go to school and take an exam. I promised that I'd be back, and I am, aren't I?" She resisted the urge to laugh as Inuyasha simply kissed her in response. She gladly kissed him back, clenching his haori with her fists slightly. One of his hands slid up her back, her neck, and stopped to bring her head a little closer while her arms eventually snaked around his neck as the kiss deepened.

"HAH I knew it! Pay up, Shippo!" Miroku exclaimed a little too loudly from his hiding spot in the bushes. Inuyasha and Kagome broke off the kiss as they heard his exclamation. Kagome blushed furiously, about to slap the hentai houshi, but Inuyasha wrapped his arms around her from behind, pressing her back into his chest. She gasped as he rested his head into her hair, looking down at her through her bangs.

"Forget about him, let's just enjoy the rest of the day, alright?" She froze completely…this wasn't like Inuyasha… not at ALL…but then again…neither is him making out with her the moment she comes out of the well, either. She leaned backwards into his chest as she said jokingly,

"Who are you and what have you done with Inuyasha?" He laughed as he picked her up bridal style, ignoring her little "eep" of surprise as he swung her around and began to head for the lakeside. Miroku and Shippo sat there, absolutely in awe at the fact that Shippo didn't have any lumps on his head, or have his face stretched, or his ears pulled, and Miroku…he was just glad his head didn't sport any bumps or that his face didn't have any handprints.

"So…where are we going?" Kagome asked Inuyasha as he practically flew through the forest with her in his arms.

"A place, you'll just have to see for yourself." Inuyasha grinned as he came to a lakeshore, the sunset glistening over its glassy surface. His grin only widened as he heard Kagome give a small gasp in his arms. He felt her grasp his haori a little tighter.

"It's…beautiful!" She whispered in awe at the hues of red and orange that seemed to blend perfectly against the shimmering water's surface.

"I'd hoped you'd like it." He stopped at the shore, setting Kagome down in a sitting position as he took a spot next to her. She yawned, leaning on his shoulder. He smiled as he placed his head on top of hers, but then lifted it again as he turned to let her head fall gently on his chest.

"Inu…" She whispered, but stopped as he placed a clawed finger to her lips. Taking off his haori and enclosing the both of them in it, he slid his hands back under the haori to hold her close as his head returned to the top of hers.

"I just figured that my shoulder wasn't very comfortable, and besides, I thought you'd like to watch the sunset, seeing as how you always say that you love taking in the scenery."

"Thank you, Inuyasha…it's amazing." So the two of them remained in each others arms as the bright sun faded into a hue of blue shaded into black, by then both of them contently asleep in the warmth of their embrace.

(Day Two)

Kagome opened her eyes as she listened to the sound of the gentle waves kissing the shore. She smiled at the hanyou whose chest she was nestled in as she snuggled up closer to his frame, his arms automatically drawing closer in his sleep. His haori slid a little off of her shoulders from her movement, but she ignored it. She raised her head up to press her lips to his.

Snapping out of his deep slumber at the feel of his mate's lips, Inuyasha instantly awoke fully, kissing her back with equal force.

"G'morning…my Kagome." He whispered as he breathed in the scent of her hair deeply, nuzzling her jaw line with his nose. She yawned sleepily, starting to stand up, but stumbled as a tingly sensation crawled up her legs (you know, that walking-on-pins feeling you get when your feet fall asleep) which caused her to trip. She tried steadying herself, but the tingly pain caused her legs to give under her weight, so she somehow ended up laying right on top of (yup, you guessed it) Inuyasha.

"Uhh…I didn't mean to! I'm sorry, I just…umm…what's with the face…?" She caught him staring at her somewhat longingly. _'Don't do it…don't do it…don't even dare to say a word about it…even though…she feels so…DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT THAT! Oh gods…this isn't helping at all…not at all…STOP IT!'_ Inuyasha coached himself mentally as he felt the desire to…cough cough (hint: wow chicka wow wow) clawed at his insides once more, this time with more of a burning force and almost succeeded…had it not been that at that point he felt the enchanted beads roll off his shirt and gently rest upon his neck, and remembered that she still had the power to control him with the subjugation spell. He rested his arms on the small of her back, her body heat coursing through his entire body.

"Kagome…" He wanted to court her, gods how he wanted to court her, but he simply settled for the sweet taste of her soft lips. He kissed her longingly, feeling her body heat rise up even more. She pressed her lips to his as well, his arms bringing her a little closer. They parted, each panting softly. Kagome sat up, careful to move her legs around some to wake them up so that this wouldn't happen again…no matter how much she might have liked it.

Uhh…where'd that come from…?

"Well…now that you two are done making out, can we get going? It'd be nice to try and find some rumors of the Shikon shards." Sango said as she loomed over their heads, her shadow shading their eyes from the sunlight. Kagome blushed so red Inuyasha's haori looked faded in comparison.

"We didn't…we wouldn't…Inuyasha, help me out here!" She cried frantically at our favorite hanyou, but he just shrugged and said "Why lie about it?"

She never stared at him so incredulously in all the time she'd known him.

"Now I _know_ something happened to you, Inuyasha." He shrugged again, but said nothing to argue (yeah, right…the day he doesn't argue is the day of Armageddon n.n). He stood, holding out a hand to her. Blushing again, she took it and opened her mouth to say something, but stopped as she turned her back to Sango and Inuyasha.

"What is it, Kagome? Something wrong?" Inuyasha said, reaching out to place a hand on her back as he stepped beside her.

"Two jewel shards coming this way…I think it's Koga." Inuyasha growled, no surprises there, but that's not what bothered Kagome…it's how _intensely _that he growled that made her shiver. Normally, even if it was Koga or some other random guy from a village that they were passing checking her out, he'd just give a plain, angry growl and/or tell them to back off if they knew what was good for them…but this growl…he'd never given even _Naraku_ a growl this deadly. The growl only grew even more sinister as Koga's signature swirl of demonic dust and debris in a twisting whirlwind steadily approached them.

"Well, there's my beautiful woman! My dearest Kagome, when will you just leave that half-breed mutt out to dry and come live with me?" Koga asked, revealing himself out of a twirling vortex of pure demonic wind.

"BEAT IT, WOLF SHIT!" Inuyasha made a move to rip the wolf prince into confetti with a good old Iron Reaver Soul Stealer, but Kagome placed a hand on his chest, pushing him back. He stared at her as though she had seven heads.

"Kagome, he's-" She cut him off with a look that calmed him down enough to stop the attack, but his growling only increased as she walked up to Koga, never taking his glinting amber eyes off the wolf demon. Kagome made her way up to Koga, but made sure to keep her distance from the wolf.

"Koga, there's something that I need to show you." Instantly, Koga got an even more perverted glint in his eye than Miroku (impossible, I know), but that gaze turned into one of curiosity as Kagome turned her back on him. She lifted her hair to reveal Inuyasha's mark on her neck, and the half-demon couldn't help but grin at Koga's response. His face fell, his shoulders hunched, and he looked as if he were about to just drop dead right then and there. He began to stutter, flailing his hands around in a frenzy as if he were some gay dude on a soap opera (a/n: that is an insult at its ugliest, that is n.n).

"B-b-but…you…you're…you're M-MY w-w-w-woman! H-he c-c-can't j-just m-m-mark you like that!" He cried out desperately. Kagome sighed, shaking her head slightly.

"Koga…I was never yours. I never planned on being yours. I've been wanting to tell you that I could only consider you a friend, but one of the many things that I never did like about you was that you never once stopped to listen to me so that I could explain myself." She walked back over to Inuyasha's side, placing her head on his shoulder. He responded by wrapping a protective arm around her waist, giving Koga that "just-admit-your-defeat-and-go-away" look. Koga stared at the couple in absolute heartbreak.

"I…I don't…but…" In his depression and denial, he realized that there was simply no purpose in keeping the jewel shards because he mainly held on to them to keep Kagome coming to him. He plucked the shards out, pressing them into the palm of Kagome's hand. She blinked but said a polite thank you before he took off running, not nearly as fast as before, but he was still pretty quick on his feet.

"Well…that wasn't so bad…and here I thought that I'd have to stop you two from fighting again." Kagome kidded, but then sobered at the look Inuyasha was still shooting at the disappearing form of Koga's whirlwind as he hugged her tighter with one arm.

"I wouldn't let him touch so much as a single hair on your head. The very thought makes me wanna _hurl_." He said in a low, deadly voice as he continued to give a dark look in the direction that Koga had disappeared in. Kagome smiled at his protectiveness of her, leaning into his chest.

"I wouldn't have it any other way." He looked down at her while she placed Koga's jewel shards with her own in the bottle dangling around her neck, smiling along with her. Sango walked up to the pair, Miroku, Shippo and Kirara following close behind.

"So…should we keep going, then?" He turned to the others as his hold on Kagome's waist tightened a little.

"Yes, I think it would be ideal if we are to continue looking for the jewel shards." Miroku commented as his hand swept casually over to Sango's behind, only to have him get knocked in the head with her bone boomerang.

"Forgive me, my dear Sango. I just don't seem to have any control over this hand of mine." Sango's eyebrow twitched in anger as she applied a bit more pressure on the taijia weapon resting on the houshi's skull.

"You just keep that hand of yours to yourself, hentai."

(Day Three)

Inuyasha yawned sleepily as he opened one eye towards the brilliant sunlight. His arms were gently resting on his mate's middle, who was currently snuggled into his chest, sleeping contently in his arms. He couldn't help but smile at the beautiful girl as he ran a claw through her silky locks of ebony. His eyes swept over to the rising sun as he watched its ascent, wondering how in the world he was going to make it through the rest of mating season without even asking Kagome if he could court her.

"The sunrise is really pretty, isn't it?" He looked down, a bit surprised that he hadn't sensed Kagome arousing within his embrace.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you."

"You didn't…it's the sunlight, that's all." She sat up in the tree branch that they had occupied the previous night. Stretching her arms high above her head, she sighed in content as she ran her fingers through her slightly tangled bangs in an attempt to straighten out the twisted mess of hair. She smiled at Inuyasha, who was currently trying to itch behind his ear with his foot. Letting a tiny giggle pass her lips, she reached up and scratched him behind the ear that he was trying to itch with his foot. He looked at her gratefully, letting his leg dangle over the edge of the branch as a low purr began to emit from deep in his chest. Kagome stopped scratching his ear and stretched again.

"Will you help me get down, Inuyasha?" She turned her head in his direction, but found that he wasn't there anymore. She looked down and almost fell from laughing so hard. In Inuyasha's little "daydream" he was having from being pet behind his ear, he'd completely forgotten that he was up in a tree, and subsequently ended up right in the bush below, only his right leg sticking out of the bush that was twitching in aggravation to suggest that he was even there, albeit his loud cursing and complaining that his ass was sore.

"Are you alright, Inuyasha?" Kagome called down from her perch on the branch. He pulled himself out of the forest bush, plucking out a few leaves and tiny twigs that had been entangled into his hair.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Jump down, I'll catch ya."

"Are you absolutely insane? I'll just mess it up!"

"Do you trust me?"

"Of course I do. I trust you with my life."

"Then jump and don't worry about it; I'll catch you." He repeated a bit more firmly. She sighed in defeat, knowing that he really would catch her, but still worried a bit because she's just a chicken like that. It's kinda funny how she could stare a demon in the eye and not have to worry about it, but she's afraid to fall out of a tree. Taking a deep breath, she let herself fall right into Inuyasha's awaiting arms. The force of the impact caused him to swing her around once before he managed to regain his footing and stand still.

"See? That wasn't so bad, was it?" He kidded her at the absolutely horrified look she had on her face. He set her down, but supported her still with one arm wrapped around her waist, even though he knew she could stand on her own.

He looked up at the sun, just rising to midday. Shippo hopped over to them, a little Kirara at his side just as Inuyasha kissed Kagome rather deeply.

"Uhh…I shouldn't be watching this, should I?" The two love birds (In Inuyasha's case, lovesick puppy) stopped kissing and looked at the little kitsune.

"Umm…no…I don't think that this is…kid friendly, Shippo." Miroku said before either of them could answer. Shippo shrugged as Miroku looked at Kagome's bosom (put politely). This didn't go unnoticed by our favorite hanyou, who stalked past Kagome and stared the monk down (no, literally…he's like…three inches taller than Miroku.).

"And I'm not very _perverted monk_ friendly, either, just to let you know." He growled dangerously at the houshi. Miroku immediately tore his eyes from a very confused miko and hastily ushered Shippo away, him following very closely. Kirara gave Inuyasha a little meow before trotting off after the two disappearing back to the campsite.

"Umm…why is it that he and Shippo are always looking at us?" Kagome asked as she watched the three disappearing figures.

"I dunno…beats the hells out of me." Inuyasha shrugged his shoulders, turning to follow the others back to camp.

"Come on, we better get back…don't want them getting anymore perverted thoughts about us, now do we?" Kagome laughed lightly as they walked side-by-side. The couple could only roll their eyes at the familiar sound of Sango's hand striking the bouzo's face and her loud, yet foul cursing ringing through the forest. Yup, it was just a perfectly normal day for the six individuals in the land of the Sengoku Jidai…nothing out of the ordinary there. –Sigh-

(Day Four)

**THWACK!**

"YOU DAMN PERVERT! HOW MANY TIMES DO I HAVE TO HIT YOU WITH MY BOOMERANG UNTIL YOU GET THE POINT?"

"And…the point would be…?"

**THWACK!**

Do I really have to tell you who said what?

"Uhh…hi…?" Kagome said awkwardly to the taijia and the houshi. Sango stopped in the middle of choking Miroku. Miroku stopped in the middle of a plea for mercy. Both of them looked over at Inuyasha and Kagome, Sango's hands still around Miroku's neck, but not choking him anymore, while Miroku's arms were frozen in the air from flailing them out in mercy.

"Oh…hi Kagome, Inuyasha…we uh…we didn't hear you two come back from getting the firewood!" Sango smiled as she let Miroku go, causing him to crumble on the floor anime style.

"Not like we really WANTED to watch that…but…yeah." Inuyasha said as Kagome looked over at the evening sun. Gasping, she hastily stole a glance at her watch.

"Oh no…I'll be late! Mom's gonna kill me if I don't hurry!" Inuyasha turned to her, absolute horror written across his face. How could she be torturing him like this? This was just plain cruel to do to an Inu-hanyou…especially during mating season!

"You're going back there AGAIN? ARE YOU FREGIN' KIDDING ME?" He flailed his arms around in the air as he cried out frantically. She nodded as she picked up her yellow backpack. Once she slung it over her shoulder, she turned back to him, touching his face with her hand. He leaned his head a little into her hand, but not enough for anyone but Kagome to notice. She smiled.

"Look, I know it won't be fair to you if I left you here, so you can come back with me, okay?" He sighed in relief and nodded gratefully, his tense muscles softening at her invitation. Thank the gods that she wasn't leaving AGAIN…at least…not without him.

"Yeah…thanks, Kagome." He walked in front of her and kneeling down so she could get on his back. She climbed on, and once she was properly positioned, he wrapped his arms around the bends of each of her knees to keep her from falling. Once he made sure that she was ready, he broke into a quick sprint towards Kaede's village so they could get to the well.

Sango and Miroku blinked at them while they left, then looked back at each other.

"So…where were we…?" Sango asked.

"I think we were at the part where you were choking me and calling me a pervert while I was screaming like a girl for mercy."

"Oh yeah." The looked at each other for a second, then Sango started choking him, calling him a pervert while he flailed his arms in the air and pleaded for her to not be so rash.

"So, why would your mother be so pissed if you didn't come home today?" Inuyasha asked as he leapt above the trees to see how far they had to go. Not very…only a few more minutes and they'll be in the clearing.

"She's throwing a party for couples and she wants me to help her get the house ready."

"That damn 'hobo' guy ain't gonna be there, is he?" He asked, a tinge of depression in his voice.

"Why would he be there? I'm yours, Inuyasha. Don't ever forget that." His heart practically leapt at that, a huge smile spreading across his face, but then he had a thought.

"Does he know about us?"

"Yeah, I kinda wish you were there, though."

"Why?"

"The look on his face when I explained that I was engaged was _priceless_." She smiled as she looked down at the ring she had on her left hand, watching the heart-shaped diamond glisten in the sunlight. He grinned, and though Kagome couldn't see it herself, it was evident in his voice when he responded.

"I kinda wish I was there, too." She smiled, leaning more into his back while she rested her chin on his shoulder blade. He got a sudden extremely perverted thought (he's been hanging around Miroku for a _little_ too long if you ask me Oo)…one so perverted he couldn't help but try it to see what she would do (Beethoven's fifth cue: DUN DUN DUN DUNNNNN! DUN DUN DUN DUNNNNN!). He came to a stop at the edge of the clearing that led to the well, but kept his arms wrapped around the bends of her knees.

"Uhh…Inuyasha…we're here, ya know." His perverted grin only widened, and he couldn't help but be glad that she couldn't see it.

"Yeah…I know." He slid his hands up from her knees to her thighs, giving them a little squeeze…

(Meanwhile, by Miroku and Sango…)

"I wonder what it was that was so urgent that Kagome had to leave…" Sango pondered while polishing the Hiraikotsu as she and the houshi-sama sat by the fire. Miroku shrugged, not opening his eyes from the meditative state he was currently in.

"I have no clue, but I can't help but wonder when they will be back."

"YOU PERVERTED CREEP!" His back stiffened at the sudden outburst.

"I didn't do anything, Sango!" His eyes shot wide open as he held up his hands in defense. Sango just turned her head to look at him in surprise. It was clear that she hadn't been the one to initiate the scream (for once).

"Miroku…I didn't say anything. It sounded more like…Kagome…" He opened his mouth to say something, but turned his head in the direction of a noise he knew all too well…

**SMACK!**

"Oh, come on, Kagome! You know I can't help it during mating season-"

**SMACK!**

"YOU'RE GETTING TO BE AS BAD AS MIROKU!"

"Am not!...well…maybe a little bit _this_ week…"

"AUGH…**SIT SIT SIT SIT SIT SIT SIT SIT SIT SIT SIT SIT SIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIT!**"

**WHAM WHAM WHAM WHAM WHAM WHAM WHAM WHAM WHAM WHAM WHAM WHAM _WHAM_! **

"Got anything to say to THAT one?"

"…oww…" They both heard Inuyasha faintly mutter from the clearing. At this point, Shippo had been awoken, rubbing his eyes sleepily as he looked from Kirara to Sango to Miroku, and back to Kirara (he's so confused n.n), Sango was on the floor laughing hysterically, and Miroku was sitting Indian style, utterly amazed that it wasn't him for once.

(Meanwhile, by Inuyasha and Kagome…)

"What's gotten into you lately?" Kagome shrieked into the twenty foot deep Inuyasha-shaped crater in the ground. He brought his hand up slowly to grip the edge of the crater, slowly lifting himself out of the hole, cringing in pain.

"Gee…you've never said 'sit' like _that_ before…"

"Well you've never _done_ something like _that_ before!" She cried out, her face reminding Inuyasha of a tomato. She looked a bit afraid of him now, and that's what hurt him most. He had tried to fight the urge to do it…really he did! But…it could have been worse! He bowed his head and let his ears droop _'She knows she can't resist the sad face…she knows she can't.'_

"Kagome…I'm sorry…it's just that…I can't help it you're like that!" He jabbed a thumb into his chest.

"You can't help that I'm like what?" She stopped blushing to raise an eyebrow.

"Well…it's not my fault you're drop-dead gorgeous!" (Like I said people; he's way out of character o.o) She blushed even more at his compliment.

"You mean it…really?" He walked up to her, lifting her head and kissing her softly on the lips.

"That a good enough answer for you?" He asked. She smiled and nodded, walking past him towards the well. He followed, sure to make a mental note that if he valued having his spine in tact then he'd have to keep a better control over himself for the rest of the week. He extended his hand to her, letting her take it to better balance herself on the lip of the well before she hopped in, Inuyasha close behind.

"Kagome, you're home! I see you brought your other half as well!" Kagome's mother called from the other side of the yard as they stepped through the shrine doors. Kagome blushed as Inuyasha looked at her with curiosity, sniffing her a couple of times.

"Your "other half"…but you look completely whole to me…" He said. Kagome smacked her forehead, completely forgetting to tell him about slang in her time.

"She means you; we're two halves of a whole couple, so you're my other half and I'm yours." He nodded, getting the main point but not bothering to ask anymore questions about the details.

"We're here to help you get ready for the party, Mama." Her mother smiled at the two.

"I see you remembered to be back for that. Arigato, Kagome, Inuyasha." She nodded once to each of them, then beckoned them to follow them inside. They silently agreed, entering the Sunset Shrine.

"Kagome, could you please pull the dishes that are wrapped in foil out of the refrigerator and put them out on the table for me to get ready for tomorrow please?" Kagome nodded, going into the kitchen and doing as her mother had instructed. Her mother then turned to Inuyasha, who was currently busy watching Kagome's every move, completely breath taken at her movements, no matter how small they were they seemed to be performed with the utmost grace.

"And I need you to help me set up the decorations because you're the tallest one here, alright, Inuyasha?" He tore his gaze from his mate and nodded, following Ms. Higurashi into the living room. Kagome watched him until he disappeared around the bend and into the hallway and sighed.

"He really _is_ cute when he's confused." She said to herself. He poked his head into the doorway.

"Hey I heard that!" She smiled at him, making his insides turn to pure mush (again).

"Good, 'cause it's true, ya know." She playfully jabbed a finger at him, causing them both to blush at least ten shades of pink. He shrugged and went back to Ms. Higurashi, who had been babbling about the party that she holds every year for couples and how she just loved romance and yadda yadda yadda, and remained completely unaware that Inuyasha had taken leave for a moment.

"…So Inuyasha, are you ready for the decorations?"

"Umm…yeah, just tell me where I need to put everything…and HOW I put it up…or whatever I need to do." The woman laughed and handed him a bunch of different colored hearts with strings on them.

"I need you to tie these all around on the ceiling. When your done I'll have Kagome come in here to help you with the next thing."

"Oh…okay!" He said, happy at the thought of being around Kagome. He hung the hearts around the room's ceiling in completely random places. The hearts were all either red, pink, or white, and there were about thirty of each color, so it took him a while to get done. He hopped off the couch that he'd used as a makeshift stepping stool and made his way back to the kitchen. When he got there, he found Kagome walking around the main dinner table, setting up plates, napkins, and utensils at each of the chairs. She turned to him and smiled.

"Done with hanging the hearts?" He nodded, walking over to the miko and casually leaning against the counter top, tucking his arms in his sleeves.

"So, now what do we do?" He asked, his stomach roaring at the smell of some of the food on the table, even though it wasn't cooked yet, the spices still smelled good (except the curry, Inuyasha thought to himself). She walked over to a box that held all the decorations for this sort of occasion in it and began rummaging around, looking for a specific type of party quirk. Inuyasha poked his head over her shoulder to see her gathering tiny colored cards in her hand. A quizzical look crossed his face as she sorted them out, powder blue ones for the boys, and soft pink ones for the girls.

"What are those for?" He asked, giving each stack of cards a sniff without picking any of them up. She laughed a little as she set the stacks by a tiny coffee table beside the kitchen counter.

"They're for a game that everyone will be able to play at the party. You ask the person you're a couple with one of the questions on the card and if they answer it correctly, they get a kiss." She blushed, wondering just how much Inuyasha knew about her. She knew quite a bit about him, but whether or not he could say the same for her was left uncertain. She sighed, knowing that she'll just have to wait and see at the party tomorrow evening (a/n: the party will take up most of day five, just to let you know). She stretched her arms above her head as she yawned, exposing a little bit of her toned stomach to Inuyasha's golden hawk-like eyes. He took the opportunity to reach a hand to her stomach, gently swirling his claws over the silky surface of her skin.

"Eep! Inuyasha that tickles!" Kagome squealed, brushing his hand away. He grinned mischievously.

"Oh…_does_ it, now?" He began to tickle her mercilessly. Instantly, she doubled over, falling into a spiral of laughter as Inuyasha tickled what he knew perfectly well was her most ticklish spot.

"Inuyaaaaaaaahahahaha…Inuyasha-a-a-a…s-s-stop it! Muh…mercy! Mercy p-p-p-p-please!" She begged in between fits of laughter. She leaned back, trying to wiggle out of Inuyasha's tickling wrath. He wrapped his other arms around her back, keeping her from escaping the inevitable.

"Not until you say I'm the strongest, smartest, fastest, most handsome half-demon alive!" He said, knowing she would just to get him to stop…even though he didn't plan on it.

"You'rethestrongestsmartestfastestmosthandsomehalf-demonalivenowlemmego!"

"What was that, Kagome? Did you say something?" Inuyasha said as he leaned in more, tickling her even more mercilessly.

"…HA! Gotcha!" She reached up and began tickling the insides of his ears, instantly, he stopped tickling her, trying desperately not to cave in and laugh. He bit his lip, tiny hints of laughter escaping his throat. The hand that was tickling her was now resting on her stomach, trying to push her away enough to save himself from her tickling of doom. His strength failed him through the resistance to laugh, so he was paralyzed, falling helplessly in Kagome's spell of tickling evilness. _'That's just plain mean…she's cheating!'_ He thought as her light touch enveloped him in a light, bubbly feeling.

"What's wrong, Inuyasha? Not ticklish in your ears, are you?" She said jokingly to the shaking hanyou. The force on his bottom lips only increased as she found the center of the insides of his ear- his most sensitive and ticklish spot. He squinted one eye half way in an attempt to keep his mind off the fluttering feeling he was getting from his mate's fingers dancing lightly across the insides of his velveteen dog ears as he shook his head slightly, his shoulders shaking with the laughter that he tried forcing down.

"N-n-n-no f-fair…you ch-cheated…y-you don't h-h-have d-dog ears…s-s-stop it…come on, K-Kagome!" He clutched at his stomach as he doubled over, his face turning red from trying so hard not to laugh.

"Come on now, Inuyasha…just give in and laugh so I can let you go." She stated as she lightened her touch on his ears to make it more ticklish. He finally couldn't stand the tickliness and burst into a huge fit of laughter.

"O-okay…I…HAHAHAHA…lemme g-g-go…we had a deal!" He forced through his laughter. Kagome acted like she was considering it, but then said,

"Well…okay…but first, tell me who you love."

"Y-you…and you know it!" At this point, poor Inuyasha had to clutch his stomach harder as he felt it giving out sharp pains every now and then from laughing so hard. His eyes shut tightly and his laughter only increased.

"Who's that? I don't have any idea who you're talking about."

"Y-y-you…K-Kagome H-H-H-Higurashi!" Satisfied with his answer, she released his ears as he stumbled back on the couch, trying to regain his composure from laughing so hard. He shook his head violently in an attempt to try and shake off that light fizzy feeling you get after someone tickles you in your most sensitive spot. Kagome laughed, flopping on the couch next to him so they were sitting next to each other. She rested her hands on her knees, letting a smile spread across her face at the sight of all the decorations.

"Nice work with helping my mom with the decorations and everything." She turned to Inuyasha, who was finding the floor very interesting at the moment. She leaned her head slightly in towards the hanyou, trying to figure out what was wrong.

"Inuyasha?"

"Hm?" Gee, that floor must have been awfully fascinating, considering his eyes still haven't left it. He must be checking out all that wood…shiny, polished wood…with the occasional dust bunny here or there…bet those were really amazing to see.

"What's wrong? You're all…shy now all of a sudden."

"No, no…it's just…"

"Just what?"

"Trying to keep another "feeling" from actually turning into a "happening" if you want the truth." She leaned her head back slightly. What was it that he had a feeling to do? Was it just another perverted idea…or…did he…?

"Tell it to me." He lifted his head, giving her one of those "you-sure-you-really-wanna-know" kinda looks.

"Are you sure that it's something that you think you can handle without sitting me into the oblivions of hell for it?" She laughed, but then sobered and nodded. He leaned his head down to her ear, cupped a hand in front of it, and whispered what it was that he was trying not to ask of her (I'm NOT saying…you'll find out later, but it WON'T be a lemon). When he finished talking, she looked thoughtful for a moment, a soft pink blush creeping across her face (yeah…that bad…).

"You sure that's what you want with me?" he nodded shyly, turning away to hide the fifty shades of red that were on his face, expecting the next thing that he felt was that amazing hard wood floor that he'd found so fascinating against his face.

"Well…why not wait until the last day of the season?" She asked, knowing that it was something that they had both secretly been wanting for the longest time. He turned to her in absolute shock, figuring that she would have told him that he was getting WORSE than Miroku for even thinking about something like that.

"Seriously?" She smiled and nodded.

"But…" He sighed inwardly. He knew there would be consequences to doing something like that.

"…there's something that we need to take care of first." She said as she turned in her seat towards him.

"We do…? And what would that be…?" He asked, kinda scared at what it might be. She smiled again.

"Close your eyes."

"Ohhhhh no you don't! This happened once before!" She rolled her eyes at his stupidity. She flipped and twirled the beads a second as if to remind him that they were still on.

"You already have the Enchanted Beads on, idiot." He looked down at his collar bone where the beads dangled, his eyes widening as if he just remembered they were there.

"Oh yeah…almost forgot about that…heh." He gave a nervous laugh as Kagome sweat dropped.

"…Right…now close your eyes." He sighed and did as he was told. His eyes shot open as he felt her soft lips against his own. He wrapped his arms around her slender waist, pulling her closer to his muscular frame as the kiss deepened.

"Can we close on it?" She asked as she rested her head on his shoulder. He nodded, kissing her hair lightly.

"EEW INUYASHA YOU'RE BEING GROSS WITH ONESAN!" (a/n: "onesan" is Japanese for "older sister" and is pronounced 'oh-nehh-san') Sota cried as he ran out of the room, screaming "Ah…my eyes…I'm blind!" but then started running around the house. Inuyasha blinked at Kagome's ototosan (younger brother, pronounced 'oh-tohh-tohh-san'), who was now running around singing "Kagome and Inuyasha sitting in a tree k-i-s-s-i-n-g!" He turned back to Kagome, who was blushing about a hundred different shades of red and looked about ready to knock her ototosan senseless.

"Umm…what is it that he's singing?" He asked his miko, who blushed a few shades darker at his question.

"It's a childish song that kids sing when they see someone kissing. Only little kids sing it, though." He nodded, making a mental note to never let Shippo know about that one. Ms. Higurashi came in through the kitchen doorway, a little surprised that everything was done so quickly.

"Done already? And it's only ten-thirty…I figured we'd be up all night putting this stuff up. Thank you two for helping me."

"Sure mom, no problem!" Kagome smiled at her okasan (mother, pronounced 'oh-kahh-san') while Inuyasha just sort of gave her one of his trademark grins.

"Yeah…sure thing, Ms. Higurashi." Inuyasha tucked his hands inside his sleeves, giving out a little yawn and he cracked his neck.

"You don't have to call me "Ms. Higurashi," a simple "mom" would be just fine, dear." Ms. Higurashi said sweetly. Inuyasha pulled his hands out of his sleeves and scratched the back of his neck.

"Oh…uhh…yeah…sure…" He felt a little awkward calling her "mom," since he hadn't had a mother figure in his life since his childhood.

"Come on, Inuyasha. It's late and we've got to get ready for the party tomorrow." He shrugged and followed her upstairs without another word. She opened the door to her room, side-stepping to let Inuyasha in. She grabbed a pair of pajamas out of her dresser and left to go change in the bathroom.

Inuyasha blinked, wondering why Kagome had to leave the room. She didn't say exactly where she was going, and that worried him a little.

Maybe I should just go after her…

'_No way, man! Do you remember just how many times you've gotten yourself into trouble around here because you shoved your nose where you shouldn't have?'_

Well…true…but I'm worried about her!

'_Dude…it's. Her. Own. House. What could go wrong?'_

True…

The door opened as Kagome walked in wearing a red cami top and tight black shorts that came up to her thighs.

"I'm back…uhh…hello in there?" She waved her hand in front of his face to try and pull him out of his thoughts. She blushed when Inuyasha didn't take his eyes off her. He shook his head a little and yawned, saying that he was kinda tired so he'd just turn in. He sat down and leaned against the wall across from her bed and closed his eyes. He slid the Tetsusaiga out of his hakama belt and rested it against his shoulder as he tucked his hands in his sleeves.

"G'night, Kagome." She smiled as she slid into her bed, lying on her side facing him and pulling the covers up to her chin.

"Goodnight, Inuyasha." She said, resting her head against the pillow. Within a few minutes, she was sound asleep in the warm cocoon of her blankets…

_"Inuyasha!" She called as she wandered around Goshinboku Forest _(a/n: I know it's called Inuyasha Forest, but I like the sound of Goshinboku forest better)_ looking for her mate. A little hanyou girl with black hair and silver tipped dog ears, who was cradled in her arms, only a small infant, gave a tiny yawn in her sleep. Kagome smiled at Shigatsu, their daughter, sound asleep in her powder blue baby blanket. (_a/n- Shigatsu is "April," pronounced "She-got-tsoo"_) Inuyasha walked through the hut they now lived in that was just at the edge of Kaede-sama's village. He trotted over to her, wrapping his arms around her waist as he stood behind her, staring at their beautiful daughter._

_"We finally did it…we're finally a family now, Kagome." He nuzzled her hair a little bit, kissing the mark on her neck lightly. She smiled warmly at the baby, then at her husband, her mate._

_"I know…and I'm loving every moment of it." Sango and Miroku walked out of the hut that was right beside theirs, their two-year-old daughter closely in tow._

_"Well, aren't you two looking awful happy?" Miroku said as Sango rocked a three-month-old baby boy in her arms. Inuyasha growled softly but didn't object anymore._

_"Oh, looks like someone's awake." Kagome smiled as Shigatsu opened her bright golden-brown eyes and gave out a tiny baby gurgle. The couple smiled at their baby, knowing that now their lives were complete._

Kagome opened her eyes and sat up, the blankets falling to rest on her stomach. She turned her head towards Inuyasha, who had awoken as well, and was gazing at her with bright amber eyes that seemed to shine like that of an owl in the darkness of the night.

"I just had the strangest dream, Inuyasha…" She said, but Inuyasha cut her off.

"Don't tell me, I think I can guess; did you dream that giant cockroaches took over the world with their demonic green boogers of evil that turned into offspring and ate all the ramen in existence and then turned all humanity into slaves and all the demons were eradicated into the oblivion of the hells?" He panted slightly from saying everything all in one breath. Kagome stared at him wondering where THAT dream came from…

"Uhh…-blink blink-…no."

"Oh…then…what did you have it about?" She scratched the back of her neck as she averted his eyes.

"That we…uhh…s-started a…a family." She felt her face grow considerably hot as she stared down meekly at her hands, which she was wringing in her lap. Inuyasha shifted a bit in his seat, crossing his arms in thought.

"Started a family…as in…having kids?" He looked up at her, curiosity sparkling in his eyes. She nodded, the heat on her face only intensifying. Inuyasha placed a thumb under his chin in thought for a moment, but then stated,

"Well…what's so bad about that?" He asked. She waved her hands in front of her innocently.

"Absolutely nothing…it's just…I've never had a dream…that seemed so real…" She turned her head back over to Inuyasha, who was staring out the window. Before she even realized what it was that she was doing, she found herself walking over to Inuyasha, sitting down in between his legs, resting her head on his right shoulder, her hand resting on his left. He looked down at her in surprise.

"Aren't you a little uncomfortable down here on the floor?" She smiled as she shut her eyes half way.

"Not when you're here…unless you don't want me to stay down here." He snorted as he wrapped his arms around her tiny frame, currently relaxing as she leaned more against his muscular frame.

"You kidding? The moment I laid my head down I knew there was something missing…but now…I don't feel that anymore." No response came from his beloved miko.

"Kagome…?" _'Must have fallen asleep…she looked really tired earlier.'_ He relaxed his hold on her a little (and I mean a VERY little) so that they would both be comfortable, resting his head in the crook of her neck again, leaning the side of his head against hers. _'So…she DIDN'T dream of world dominating cockroaches that have ramen-eating boogers…'_ With that thought, he fell asleep right along with her.

(Day five)

Inuyasha awoke early in the morning, so early in fact that the sun hadn't even risen yet…it was still pitch black outside, albeit a few stars dotting the sky. He turned his eyes over to the digital clock on Kagome's nightstand. _'1:22 a.m.…whatever the hell that means…' _ His eyes swept over to Kagome, snuggled in his arms. He remembered the dream he had, and he couldn't help but feel retarded for dreaming it…mainly because it was absolutely random and that he wasn't slow enough to actually _believe_ that cockroaches hawked up lugies that ate ramen. He shook his head a bit as he looked down at Kagome's angelic face. He watched her shift a little to get more comfortable against his chest, causing her hair to sweep to the side, revealing the mark Inuyasha had made on her only five days previous. He nuzzled it with his nose slightly, resting his head beside hers and letting the side of his head lean into her hair as his arms wrapped around her a little tighter to keep her warm. _'She's so soft…'_ He rubbed his hand up and down her back gently for a few minutes, but knew that if Kagome happened to forget that SHE came down HERE, he would pay the consequences.

He sighed lightly in defeat as he carefully swept his miko off the floor bridal style, quietly walking over to her bed. He slid her feet under the drawn-back blankets first, then rested her head gently on the pillow. He picked up the end of the covers that was folded over and straightened the blanket out so that it spread across Kagome's body, stopping at her neck. He stood for a moment, watching her slow, even breathing, inhaling her sweet scent through his sensitive nose.

"Well…it's still early…might as well rest." He walked back over to the wall he was sleeping against and took a seat. He shut his eyes and tried his best to get to sleep, but that feeling like something was missing was back again…like he was incomplete. Just to test a theory, he opened his eyes and stood up, walking back over to Kagome. He knelt beside the bed so that his head was level with hers. He crossed his arms, placing them on the mattress beside her. He rested his head into his arms and shut his eyes once more, and he was out before he even realized it. _'Well…looks like my theory was right…zzz…'_

_BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP!_

"Gyaaa!" Inuyasha yelped as quietly as he could when he'd just been pulled out of a deep sleep from something that he'd never seen before, bolting from his deep slumber as he shot into a sitting position…or at least…tried to. From moving so fast, he fell backwards so that he was staring at the ceiling, legs propped up against the edge of the bed, sticking straight up.

"Sigh Inuyasha, you never learn, do you?" Kagome's laughter pulled him out of his thoughts as she pressed a button on her digital alarm clock and made the beeping stop. He sat up, his ears twitching a few times. She giggled at his juvenileness as she swung her legs over the side of the bed. She began to hum a tune while she got her things ready for the party tonight (a/n: mating season started on a Saturday, so this is Thursday).

"What're ya humming?" Inuyasha asked, tilting his head to the side out of curiosity. She smiled at him as she went out the door.

"Oh, I was just humming a song from this time period, that's all." She said as she shut the door behind her to go change. Inuyasha stretched his arms above his head, sighing lightly as he heard Sota walking around downstairs, asking his mother what exactly they were doing while he went with his friends to the "arch-aid…" whatever the hells that was. He turned his attention to the Tetsusaiga, left behind and down on the floor. He walked over and picked it up, sliding it back into the left side of his hakama belt.

"I was wondering when you'd pick that back up." He turned at the sound of Kagome's voice, about to respond to her, but any sense of intelligence to produce any sound other than "duh" or "uhh" or "umm" left him. She was wearing a navy blue spaghetti strap tank top that exposed half an inch of her stomach that was skin tight, a black mini skirt with a little wave on the bottom, black wedges (shoes), and her hair was pulled back half way with a navy blue barrette (if you don't know what to picture, think of Ayume's hair).

"How do I look?" She asked, doing a slow little spin around to give Inuyasha an eyeful. He blushed a deep crimson red that seemed to blend perfectly with his fire rat haori. _'Come on, just tell her she's beautiful…tell her the truth!'_

"Uhh…duh…uhh…umm…gulp" He scratched the back of his neck, feeling like a complete retard for the second time today._ 'Way to go, Inuyasha. You just officially made an idiot out of yourself yet AGAIN. So much for telling her something INTELLIGENT.'_ He thought, mentally kicking himself for being so stupid. Kagome just laughed and spared the hanyou more embarrassment.

"I'll just take that as a yes." She turned and began walking out the door, giving Inuyasha an eyeful of her backside. He whistled quietly to himself, but unfortunately for him, Kagome heard it. She wheeled around, but because she was wearing wedges, lost her balance. Inuyasha managed to catch her right in the nick of time, but rather than help her stand, he swooped her upward, slinging her over his shoulder like she was a sack of potatoes.

"EEEEEEK! INUYAHSA PUT ME DOWN!" He grinned, but disobeyed.

"Nope…sorry, but I've got the upper hand this time!" He lifted his head triumphantly, a huge smirk planting itself on his face.

"Oh really…and how so?"

"If you say 'sit,' then we'll both come crashing down, and I really don't see any other way that you can subdue me, so I'm safe!"

"You sure about that?" She asked, knowing full well that she could think of at least three different ways that she could get him to put her down.

"Absolutely sure, otherwise you'd be on your feet right about-"

"NOW!" She cried as she hopped down and began reaching for his ears, but he flattened them to his skull, tucking their peachy insides in his hair.

"Ohh no you don't, I'm not falling for that again!" To prove his point, he walked over to her dresser, plopping the navy blue hat on that he always kept in her time as a disguise (well…for his ears, anyway). Kagome snapped her fingers.

"Oh! That reminds me- Inuyasha, I got you some clothes from this era so that you can blend in better at the party!" She handed him a bag of clothes, walking behind him, guiding him by the shoulders to the bathroom.

"You try those on and we'll see how you look!" She walked into her room as Inuyasha walked into the bathroom and shut the door.

Three minutes later, Inuyasha poked his head into her room, not revealing what it was he was wearing.

"Err…Kagome…I don't think that this is such a good idea…"

"Come on, Inuyasha! Come out here and let me see the clothes on you!"

"I think you gave me the wrong bag…"

"And why would you think that?"

"Because…I highly doubt that any man that isn't like Jakotsu would wear this…"

He stepped into the doorway, and Kagome couldn't hold in the laughter that erupted from the pit of her stomach. She HAD given him the wrong bag of clothes…she gave him HER clothes from the last time she went to the mall with her friends…so…

he was wearing a pale pink mini skirt and a white tight t-shirt that looked like he stole it from Simon Cowell (ouch).

He dove into the bathroom, quickly shedding himself of the feminine clothing and poking his head out the door.

"Uhh…yeah…do me a favor and let's just NOT mention that again, shall we?" She nodded, handing him the RIGHT bag of clothes. He even looked at them this time before putting them on (wow…what a retard . ).

Another three minutes later, he walked out wearing baggy black jeans and a black hoodie that had a silver outline design of a dragon breathing silver outlined fire that didn't have any of the design colored in on the front. Kagome blushed at him. _'Why didn't I get him to wear that sooner? He looks HOT!'_ She thought, her blush darkening. Inuyasha took this the wrong way, seeing as how his ears started to droop.

"Do I look that bad?" He lowered his head slightly. Kagome walked over to him, wrapping her arms around his neck. He placed his hands on her hips, pressing her a little closer to his muscular frame.

"I think you look…really…_really_ good. I always think that, but this is definitely a new look. I really like it on you." He grinned, the tip of one of his fangs sticking out from the corner of his mouth.

"Hey, I'm the same height as you are!" She squeaked happily. He rolled his eyes and snorted.

"Yeah…and you know how big those heels are on your shoes?" He said as he pointed to them. She rolled her eyes and shook her head, but then rested the side of her head in the crook of his neck.

"Still, can't a girl feel tall every now and then?" She teased as there was a knock on the door.

"Kagome, honey, the guests are all here!" Her mother called from the other side of the door.

"Okay, we're coming, mom!" Kagome called back. She turned to Inuyasha, giving him a soft kiss on the lips, which he more than gladly responded to.

"Let's go, otherwise the others will start to worry, especially mom…" Inuyasha nodded, reaching for his hat, but Kagome handed him a plain black bandana hat instead.

"It'll match your outfit better than the hat." He nodded, tying the cloth underneath the silvery locks of hair he had so that the top of the cloth was over his ears to hide them well enough that they went unnoticed, even though, try as he might, his bangs still popped out from under the bandana.

They came downstairs to the sound of loud chattering and gossiping and whatnot as everyone was socializing at the party. All the girls were practically leaning on their boyfriends, and the guys looked somewhat awkwardly at each other, kinda like saying "yeah…I know how ya feel, man."

"Ohh, Kagome is this you're groom-to-be?" Yuka called as she walked up to the couple, Eri and Ayume closely in tow. Eri giggled, batting her eyelashes as she blushed, covering her lips with one hand lightly.

"Ooooh…he's cute, Kagome. Nice choice!" Eri whispered as she started looking at Inuyasha flirtatiously, to which he simply nodded a hello, tucking his hands in the front pocket of the hoodie and shuffling his feet, keeping his eyes on Kagome.

"Aww, he's shy, too…gee why can't you be more like that, Taki?" Ayume jabbed a finger at her boyfriend, who rolled his eyes.

"The dude's probably only in it for her body…" He then turned his eyes over to Kagome, looking where he shouldn't have for a second too long.

"You'd better keep your eyes…_and your hands_…on YOUR girlfriend, if you know what's good for you." Inuyasha said in a low, deadly voice, narrowing his eyes at the teen. The boy took one look at the hanyou and immediately knew that he meant business. He tore his gaze from Kagome and focused on Ayume a whole lot more than what seemed necessary.

"Uhh…I really like your hair up like that, Ayume, it looks great!" He smiled a smile that looked a little bit too forced. Ayume slapped Taki on the face, spilling her punch on his white shirt as she stormed out the door, a pleading Taki following close behind. Inuyasha blinked after the two as the door was shut by someone from the party.

"Do they always do that?" He turned to Kagome, who sighed and nodded.

"They've been like this for the past…what has it been, Yuka? Two months, would you say?" Yuka nodded, then turned back to her boyfriend and walked away. Ms. Higurashi handed out the cards that Kagome had arranged earlier. She handed a blue one to Inuyasha and a pink one to Kagome.

"We're starting the game, so take a card!" She told them each with a smile. Inuyasha blinked at the card, reading over the three questions that he had to ask Kagome and see if she knew about any of them. _'She should know at least two of these…'_ He thought to himself, glancing over at Kagome, who was reading over her card as well.

Everyone sat in a circle on the couches and chairs, but there wasn't enough room for everyone, so some people had to sit on the floor, Kagome and Inuyasha included.

"Okay, Eri and Suri will start, and we'll go around in a circle." Suri looked at his card, and Eri looked at hers, then she asked him,

"What's my favorite color?" She asked, knowing that, because she was wearing nothing but pink, that he couldn't possibly get this wrong…

"Orange, right?"

…then again…maybe not…

"Umm…no…your turn!" She said. He blinked at his card a moment.

"What's my favorite TV show?"

"Uhh…WWE wrestling?" She offered. He shook his head.

"Nope, Kagome it's your turn." She nodded, turning in her seat to face Inuyasha as she looked down at her card.

"Okay, Inuyasha, what's MY favorite color?" She sighed, knowing that he couldn't possibly get this one right…nope, there would be no way in-

"That's an easy one, you like blue." She gaped at him for a second.

"Actually…yeah…that's right!" Everyone else started giving out a chant of "Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!" Inuyasha shrugged and kissed her heatedly. Everyone began doing a bunch of coyote whistles and dog noises the whole time they kissed, which lasted about five seconds.

"Okay…your turn…" She blushed. Inuyasha looked down at his card before picking a question.

"Am I a virgin?" He asked. Kagome thought about it, wondering if he ever "did" anything with Kikyo…he probably did, but it can't hurt to say…

"Yes."

"Yep, you're right!" _'Thank Kami-sama that I asked Ms. Higurashi what a 'virgin' was!'_ He thought as they kissed again, this time Inuyasha couldn't help but notice how much more intensely Kagome kissed him back. _'I can't believe it! He's really a virgin!' _She thought happily as they broke apart.

"Okay Yuka, your turn!" Kagome said happily as she sat back down in her proper place. Basically, the game continued like this and the scoring was:

Yuka & Hereon- 16/20 kisses

Eri & Suri- 4/20 kisses

Ayume & Taki- never showed up

Kagome & Inuyasha- 20/20 (no surprises there n.n)

There were others that played, but couldn't even get on the board for points. Needless to say, they all said they should be seeing new people…names withheld to let them cling to what little dignity they have left.

"Wow…I never thought you knew that much about me…" Kagome blushed as they waved goodbye to the last guest that left. Inuyasha simply shrugged, a slight streak of pink visible across his face.

"Well…I tried to listen to you as best I could whenever you talked…even though I never really showed it." He tucked his hands back into the hoodie's pouch as he stared out the window.

"So that explains why you always had a headache!" Kagome kidded as Inuyasha rolled his eyes, tempting himself to ask her if he could get his "wish" a little early. He shook his head clear of those thoughts, knowing that he was bordering the line where being romantic ended and the realm of Miroku's perverted ness began as it was this week. He shuddered inwardly at the thought of him being like Miroku…now there's a disturbing thought for ya. He shook his head a little as he pulled the bandana off his head, letting his ears pop up to get some much needed air from being stuffed under a cloth for three hours straight.

"Hey, your ears are acting up…you okay?" Kagome asked as his ears darted and swiveled this way and that. He nodded as they finally relaxed to rest atop his head like they usually do. But then he remembered one very important fact about mating season…and it had to do with his ears. He shrugged it off, not like he'd HAVE to lie to Kagome or anything…

"I wonder why all those single guys left so quickly after I talked to them…"

…crap.

"Uhh…I don't know…maybe they just…got tired…yeah! They must have been exhausted!" She nodded, but turned to look at Inuyasha and her eyes instantly went up to his ears, which had turned a bright scarlet red and were vibrating almost as if they were those chairs that you put the coins in and they vibrate for a few minutes.

"Umm…what's up with your ears?"

"I lied."

"What did you lie about?"

"All those creeps left so fast because I threatened them when I heard them talk about you." Instantly, his ears relaxed and returned to their normal smooth silver color. However, it appears that all the red that was in his ears had flooded down to his cheeks, or was streaked across his face. Kagome rolled her eyes.

"You're so overprotective."

"And that's a BAD thing? Kagome, if you heard HALF the stuff they said about you, you wouldn't blame me as much!" Kagome laughed as she walked out of the room to change into her pajamas.

"Who ever said that I was blaming you?"

(Day Six)

Inuyasha popped one eye open, letting it rest on Kagome's sleeping form. It must have been either late night or very early morning, because he could still see the pale moonlight spilling into the room from Kagome's window. He had been awoken when Kagome's usually sweet scent had become sharp, saturated in the smell of sweat and tears. At first he thought she was physically hurt, so he hurried over to her side, sniffing her a few times. _'Must be having a nightmare…I don't smell any trace of her blood.'_ He thought as he remained knelt at her side. She was indeed cringing her usually peaceful and angelic face, tears streaking her creamy ivory skin as she mumbled incoherently in her sleep. Inuyasha slid a hand from his side to caress her cheek (unlike Miroku, on her face!) gently, brushing her tears aside as they stained her light skin.

"It's alright, Kagome, it's alright…I'm here…" Her cringe seemed to soften slightly, but it was evident that she was still upset. Before he realized what he was doing, he was beside her, literally sitting beside her on top of her covers as he lifted her torso and pulled her into his gentle embrace, resting her head on his shoulder as he brought the blankets around them both.

"…shh…it's okay…nothing's wrong, Koi." He whispered into her midnight ebony hair. Her tears slowed as her cringe melted away. He felt her tense body relax in his arms as she smiled in her sleep. He blushed at how they were but did nothing to move. Ms. Higurashi wouldn't complain…after all…they had their clothes on and everything, so it's not like they DID anything…but if she woke up…ah well. It would be worth it, he figured as he shut his eyes and let himself drift to sleep…

"Inuyasha?" He opened his eyes just as he was getting comfortable and was instantly met with Kagome's bright hazel eyes gazing at him groggily.

"Oh…uhh…you were having a nightmare, so I thought-" She rested a hand on his lips to stop his babbling, smiling at him sleepily.

"Thank you." She nestled more against him, burying her face into his thick mane of silver locks as sleep overtook her. He grinned, bringing his arms closer around her to keep her a little warmer.

"You're welcome, Kagome."

That morning, Inuyasha woke up to find his arms very empty…strange…he could have sworn that Kagome was asleep against him…

…and then he smelled her cooking.

He could always tell when she cooked; the house smelled absolutely wonderful when she did. Granted, her mother was an excellent cook as well…but Kagome's cooking…there was just something about her food he couldn't explain. He walked downstairs, there was a strong aroma of eggs and rice with…some sort of herb…maybe garlic, he wasn't sure. He poked his head around the corner to see Kagome wearing an apron over her light blue jeans and red spaghetti strap tank top as she hovered over the stove, mixing and stirring something in a pot. He walked over to her side, telling her good morning. She smiled and said good morning as well, then returned to her cooking.

"Have you ever eaten egg drop soup before, Inuyasha?" Kagome asked him as she poured it into two bowls. He shook his head, confusion evident on his face.

"What's that? I didn't see you drop an egg in there." Kagome laughed a little.

"No, no, egg drop soup doesn't have anything to do with dropping eggs; it's just called that because it has egg in it."

"Oh…okay." She handed him a bowl along with a plate of rice with some vegetables cooked in herbs on top of the rice. He smiled and said thanks, picking up a pair of chopsticks. The rice was really, REALLY good, especially with the vegetables and herbs (not curry powder, that episode made me laugh .) and the soup reminded him of ramen, only there were no noodles to slurp loudly. Bummer. He always liked slurping the noodles. He practically inhaled the food the moment he tasted it, finishing his food within two minutes. He wiped his mouth, a huge smirk clearly evident on his face.

"I take it you liked it, then?" Kagome asked as she cleared the table. He grinned and nodded, his ears tweaked up once to show just what a happy puppy he was. Kagome laughed as she put away the dishes in the sink.

"Are we going back to the feudal era today?" She asked him, turning from the sink to look at him. He walked over to her, wrapping his arms around her middle.

"Well…I am, but if you don't want to, I'll just-"

"Of course I want to go! That's why I asked, silly Inu-kun."

"Inu…kun…?"

"Okay, That's why I asked silly INUYASHA. Happy that I didn't give you a nickname?"

"Much, thank you." He stated bluntly as he swept her off her feet bridal style and walked out the door. Jii-chan burst out of the storage room with a bunch of ancient sutras, a vile of "exterminating dust," and was wearing priest robes. He ran over to Inuyasha as he set Kagome down, flicking the "exterminating dust" in the hanyou's eyes.

"DEMON BEGONE! I COMMAND YOU TO RELEASE MY GRANDDAUGHTER FROM YOUR HIDEOUS MARK!"

Inuyasha sneezed a response.

"Uhh…Grandpa, he didn't mark me until he had okasan's AND his half-brother's permission, then he asked me right before he did it, so I _willingly_ took his mark." She cuddled closer to Inuyasha's side, who wrapped an arm around her waist and rested his head on top of hers in response. The aged monk wannabe blinked at the couple, then shrugged and went on his usual daily routine. Inuyasha and Kagome blinked at each other before choosing to just forget about it and go about their business.

"KAGOMEEEEEEEEYOU'REBACKIMISSEDYOUSOMUCH!"

Three guesses who that was.

A tiny orange puff ball knocked the wind out of the poor miko's stomach as he buried his small form into her school uniform.

"I needed you to save me! Kirara keeps licking me to death, Miroku's perverted ness is scaring me and making Sango-"

"AUGH…DAMN BOUZO!"

"…angry." Kagome sighed as Inuyasha's eyebrow twitched in irritation…boy, was it going to be a very…_very_ interesting night…

"Sango, you know that I can't help-"

"If you grope me ONE MORE TIME, monk…"

"Must you call me 'monk' still, Sango? After all we've been through together, and now you must resort to calling me 'monk'?" He stated calmly, yet his voice was tinged with hurt. Sango stopped in the middle of her rant, her expression softening.

"Miroku…"

"No, I'm far from done, Sango. You know that I can't help my behavior, and that you also know that I've been trying to stop hurting you by trying not to hit one so many women, so why is it that you still insist on calling me 'monk' whenever my hand wanders?"

"Why must you do that in the first place? You know that it makes me feel uncomfortable!" A look of shock passed across his face.

"It…makes you…uncomfortable…? Why didn't you say so sooner?" Her eyes widened as she brought a hand to clutch her chest.

"You mean…you didn't…know…?"

"Then that settles it; I, Miroku, do hereby give up groping you for as long as it takes." He held up his right hand to signal that he swore earnestly. Sango blinked at him, but then smiled.

"Thank you, Miroku…that means a lot to me." He smiled at her as well as they linked arms and walked away to talk. Kagome sighed lightly as she turned to Inuyasha, who she was currently leaning on while they sat at the campfire.

"I'll give him a week."

"Not me, I'm pretty sure he'll blow it sooner than that."

"How soon?"

"Well…in about…three…two…" Off in the distance, they heard a faint SMACK of flesh connecting with flesh. Inuyasha sighed heavily as he shut his eyes and shook his head, wrapping his arms around her waist again.

"…one."

(Day Seven)

Inuyasha paced nervously in Kaede's hut, occasionally shooting a glance or two at Kagome's sleeping form. This was the day Kagome promised that she would mate with him, but he was beginning to have second thoughts, not about her, but himself. Would he hurt her? Gods, he hoped not. The desire to mate with her that instant was like a scorching fire in his heart (and his pants, but that's a whole OTHER story itself) that refused to die off. He knew that he would never hurt her, but he was worried that she would doubt him, or something bad would happen, or…or…

And then he looked back at her.

Any worry or fear he had previously thought of dissolved at the sight of her. He knew right then and there that she had never once doubted him, and that he had never of her. He knew that when they became one, it would be something he would hold dear in his memory for the rest of his long life. He walked back over to her sleeping figure as she turned in her sleep. He stroked her hair as he lay down beside her, pulling her sleeping bag closer around her as he lay on the floor. He planted a chaste kiss on her forehead, causing her to arouse from her sleep. She propped herself up on her elbows, rubbing her eye gently.

"G'morning…" He said awkwardly. She raised an eyebrow at his strange behavior.

"Right…morning." She said as she sat up. At that very instant, the wind randomly picked up through the window, causing her skirt to lift a little…_'Holy shit! Okay, stay calm, stay calm. Relax, don't let it get to you…oh gods, why does the last day have to be the worst?'_ Inuyasha was having a mental war with himself over whether he should just flat out ask her to ahem now or later (not to wander off of the subject, but I like those candies 'Now and Later' they're yummy n.n).

_You know you want to ask her now._

I have to wait until we're both ready for this!

_You know you want to…_

Shaddup about it…grr…stupid conscience…

_Hey! If it weren't for me, you wouldn't be the person you are!_

And if it weren't for me, you wouldn't even EXIST.

_Good point…_

Ha! I win!

…_but I still say you should ask her._

At this point, he shut off his communications with his inner conscience and decided that if Kagome was interested in backing out, then she would have talked to him about it. He figured it was best not to mention it until it seemed that she did not want to love him like that for the time being. She hugged her knees to herself as she smiled at him, staring into his molten amber eyes like they were the most beautiful things that she had ever seen.

"You remember what I promised, right?" She asked, almost as if she was able to read his very thoughts. He nodded, a streak of pink running from cheek to cheek.

"Yeah…I was thinking about that…" He scratched the back of his neck nervously.

"Is that what you want still?" She asked, kinda sad that it seemed that he was no longer interested in that with her. He stopped scratching his neck, placing his hands on her shoulders and looking her directly in the eye.

"Kagome, you have no idea how long I have been wanting to with you, but I just wondered if you still wanted the same thing I did."

"What are you two talking about?" Shippo hopped onto Kagome's lap, breaking their moment. Kagome and Inuyasha started staring at him in a nervous anime style.

"Uhh…we were talking about…umm…"

"Ramen!" Inuyasha broke in. Kagome and Shippo looked at him, sweatdropping anime style.

"We were talking about ramen, Shippo. She asked me what kind of ramen that I'd like and I was telling her that I didn't care what kind it was, as long as it was what she wanted, too."

"Oh…okay then! I thought you were talking about mating or something, but…okay!" Shippo hopped off Kagome's lap and walked out of the hut to find his coloring book and crayons Kagome brought from her time. When he was out of the hut, Kagome looked at Inuyasha, raising an eyebrow.

"Ramen…? The best thing you could come up with as a cover was _ramen?_"

"Hey, he bought it, didn't he?" He kidded as he crouched like a dog beside her, sobering quickly when he began to talk about their future.

"So…should we…?" She smiled warmly at him.

"We should…tonight, though." His only response was to crush his lips against hers, which, she thought, would be very rude to deny.

(Later, that night…)

"Kagome…" He whispered into her hair as she rested her head on his chest.

"Hm?" She asked, stretching across the grass beside him, her cheek resting up against his haori gently. He had his arm wrapped around her waist as they watched the stars shimmering brightly in the dark abyss of the night sky. He turned on his side to face her, reaching his other hand up to caress her cheek lightly with his claws. He stared longingly into her eyes as a lock of his silver hair slid off his shoulder and intertwined with her ebony locks resting on the grass.

"Inuyasha...when should we…?" He smiled softly, the tip of one of his fangs poking out slightly on one side of his lip.

"Whenever you're ready, Koi." She smiled at him, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, unknowingly revealing Inuyasha's mark.

"I'm ready." His smile softened as he wrapped his other arm around her waist as well. He turned over so that his torso was on top of hers, their faces dangerously close to one another's. Each stared into the other's half lid eyes as Inuyasha brought a hand up to caress her face once again as their lips crushed against each other's. His hand stopped stroking her creamy skin and simply rested on her cheek. They parted lips a moment, giving the hanyou an opportunity to speak to his miko.

"Kagome…" He whispered into her lips as his thumb moved back and forth on her light ivory skin, careful not to harm her with his claw.

"I love you…so much. Always remember that, Koi." He pressed his lips to hers once more, sealing their destiny…sealing their fate. A love ignited, a meeting of two hearts, for all eternity.

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Phew! There ya go, people. Sorry for those of you who are interested in reading about them actually doing it, go to the M section for that, but I hope this one wasn't too bad, either! Okay, "His Light" is officially done, but please check out my upcoming stories!


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